Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dogs: Import Controls

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken help tackle the import of dogs with cropped ears since 1 January 2024.

Mark Spencer: Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is already an offence in England and Wales to carry out a non-exempted mutilation, including the cropping of a dog’s ears or the docking of their tails. The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 creates tougher penalties for anyone convicted of such an offence face, either being sent to prison for up to five years, or receiving an unlimited fine, or both. The Government supports the Private Members’ Bill, Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, introduced by the hon. Member for North Devon on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of pets. The Bill will contain powers that will enable future regulations for commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into the United Kingdom including prohibiting the import of dogs with cropped ears.

Members: Correspondence

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to the correspondence of 8 September 2023 from the constituent of the hon. Member for Sefton Central on animal testing.

Mark Spencer: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 8 March 2024 advising that the issues raised in his correspondence are a matter for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. I apologise for the delay in responding.

Pets: Imports

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the Government response to the consultation on commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into Great Britain, launched in August 2021.

Mark Spencer: In August 2021 we launched a consultation on the commercial and non-commercial movement of pets into Great Britain. It was a wide-ranging consultation with excellent engagement and some complex issues to work through. The consultation response will be published soon.

Neonicotinoids

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the further authorisation of the emergency use of neonicotinoids on global pesticide reduction targets.

Mark Spencer: The decision to authorise the short-term emergency use of a pesticide is never taken lightly and is based on robust assessment of the risks and benefits. The emergency authorisation we have issued this year for the use of a neonicotinoid on sugar beet is subject to strict conditions to mitigate risks to the wider environment. We remain absolutely committed to the targets agreed in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. UK diplomatic leadership was critical to agreeing the framework and we will continue to champion the framework’s implementation. We welcome the text in target 7, as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) lies at the heart of the UK's approach to minimise the environmental impact of pesticides. In addition, the Government recently held a roundtable with members of the British sugar industry and environmental organisations to discuss the industry’s progress on implementing alternative pest control measures to neonicotinoids. I urge British Sugar and others in the sector to drive forward these plans, so that their outputs can be implemented in the field at pace.

White Fish

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack were sampled by his Department for (a) length and (b) sex in the last 12 months.

Mark Spencer: You asked how many pollack were sampled by the Department for (a) length and (b) sex in the last twelve months. Data has been provided for the twelve months of 2023, as pollack collected in 2024 have not yet been analysed. 3,237 pollack lengths were measured by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in 2023. Cefas are unable to determine the sex of the fish sampled because they are landed gutted. These pollack were sampled across all quarters of 2023 on a total of 64 trips in the southwest of England.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Fraud and  Maladministration

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Cross-Government Fraud Landscape: Annual Report 2022, published on 21 March 2023, what the basis is of the increase in detected error in his Department rom £9.5m in 2019-20 to £15.9m in 2020-21.

Mark Spencer: In reference to the hon. Member’s question, the Fraud Landscape Report figures were reported to the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA, formerly the Counter Fraud Centre of Expertise) as part of established reporting cycles. The Government defines error as losses arising from unintentional events, processing errors and official Government errors - such losses are judged as without fraudulent intent. Since 2014, Fraud Landscape Reports show an increase in both detected fraud and error across government. This is in line with the Government's explicit objective to find more fraud in the system. By detecting more, we can understand fraud better - and deal with it better. The Defra detected error in 2019/20 was published in the Fraud Landscape Bulletin and in 2020/21 was published in the Fraud Landscape Report. The reasons for any increase are set out in these documents as well as in our Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22. The PSFA assists ministerial departments and public bodies in their delivery of specialist fraud activity. In its first year it delivered £311 million in audited counter fraud benefits.

White Fish

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack otoliths were collected by his Department in the last 12 months.

Mark Spencer: You asked how many pollack otoliths were collected by the Department in the last twelve months. Data has been provided for the twelve months of 2023, as otoliths collected in 2024 have not yet been analysed. 643 (out of a target of 597) pollack otoliths were collected by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in 2023. These otoliths were collected in all quarters of 2023 on a total of 64 trips in the southwest of England.

White Fish

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pollack otoliths were analysed by his Department in the last 12 months.

Mark Spencer: You asked how many pollack otoliths were analysed by the Department in the last twelve months. Data has been provided for the twelve months of 2023, as otoliths collected in 2024 have not yet been analysed. 643 (out of a target of 597) pollack otoliths were analysed by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) in 2023. These otoliths were collected in all quarters of 2023 on a total of 64 trips in the southwest of England.

Wholesale Trade

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that issues affecting the wholesale sector are considered in policy development across Government.

Mark Spencer: This Government recognises the significance of the wholesale sector to communities across the UK whether through their vital role in supplying the retail or foodservice sectors or supplying public sector food providers. To uphold these critical supply chains, we will ensure the wholesale sector continues to be considered as part of future policy development.

Disposable Wipes: Plastics

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reason has the results of the consultation on plastic in wet wipes not yet been published.

Robbie Moore: We have been working closely with the Devolved Administrations to publish a UK-wide Government Response and agree a joined-up approach to the proposed ban across the UK. Our shared goal is to deliver a ban that is effective and proportionate. The UK-wide Government Response will be published this Spring.

Disposable Wipes: Plastics

Fleur Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the report on the plastic in wet wipes consultation.

Robbie Moore: Following the public consultation on the proposed ban of wet wipes containing plastic, Defra has been working with the Welsh Government, Scottish Government and NI Executive to prepare a UK-wide Government response. This will be published this Spring.

Methane: Pollution Control

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle methane emissions from organic waste through (a) the UNFCCC and (b) other international fora.

Robbie Moore: Tackling methane emissions is one of the quickest and most cost-effective tools to limit global temperate rising to 1.5 degrees. The Government welcomes that this was a priority at COP28 and was pleased to see more countries joining the Global Methane Pledge, to collectively reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2020 levels, including across the waste, energy, and agriculture sectors. We also recognise there is a need to support Governments and industry internationally to take tangible steps to identify and reduce methane emissions. This is why the UK made a £2 million contribution to the Methane Finance Sprint at COP, to help developing countries tackle methane emissions from their energy sectors. The Government welcomes opportunities to engage internationally on methane emissions, including on measuring, reporting, and verifying emissions, as well as sharing lessons learnt on cost-effective measures to tackle methane emissions across sectors. In the UK, overall greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector have decreased by 74% since 1990. This is mostly due to the implementation of methane recovery systems at UK landfill sites, increasing landfill methane capture rates, and reductions in the amount of biodegradable waste disposed of at landfill sites. In 2022, the waste sector accounted for 4.6% of total UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions, with landfill methane emissions responsible for 80% of the sector’s emissions. We are committed to tackling these remaining emissions and are exploring options for the near elimination of municipal biodegradable waste being sent to landfill in England from 2028, in line with the commitment in the Net Zero Strategy. We issued a call for evidence on 26 May 2023 to support detailed policy development. A Government Response to this call for evidence and further information will be published in due course. We are undertaking research to quantify site-specific methane emissions from landfill and update our understanding of residual (non-recyclable) waste composition. Both of these projects will support efforts to further reduce methane emissions from landfill sites and report our emissions in line with UNFCCC guidelines. We are also exploring ways to ease the environmental impact of legacy landfills, in line with a commitment in our Resources and Waste Strategy, through new approaches to landfill aftercare.

Sewers: Infrastructure

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the (a) current and (b) future (i) capacity and (ii) performance of sewage and drainage infrastructure in (A) England and (B) York.

Robbie Moore: The Government recognises the importance of having a robust capacity and performance for England’s sewage and drainage infrastructure, both now and into future. As part of the Environment Act 2021, a new duty has been created for water companies in England, including Yorkshire Water, to produce Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans (DWMPs). DWMPs set out how a water company intends to improve their drainage and wastewater systems over the next 25 years, accounting for factors including growing population and changing environmental circumstances. These plans will help sewerage companies to fully assess the capacity of the wastewater network and develop collaborative solutions to current problems and future issues. The plans will bring together various stakeholders including local authorities and industry regulators. Taking a longer-term strategic approach to drainage management, will help to identify and mitigate issues related to insufficient network capacity or damaged infrastructure.

Village Halls: Finance

Ms Marie Rimmer: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to paragraph 5.141 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC 560, when the Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Fund will open to new applicants.

Robbie Moore: We are aiming to open the Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund to new applications before the summer 2024. Further detail and guidance will be made available shortly on the delivery organisation’s website (Action with Communities in Rural England).

Sewers: Infrastructure

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that new (a) residential and (b) commercial developments do not overload local sewers.

Robbie Moore: The Government’s Plan for Water (2023) recognises Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) as a measure that reduces the risk of surface water flooding and has committed to rolling out SuDS in all new developments. Government is now looking at how best to implement, considering scope, threshold and process. This reduces the pressure on our traditional infrastructure by reducing the overall amount of water that ends up in the sewers and storm overflow discharges, mitigating flood risk and preventing pollution from untreated sewage ending up in our waterways.

Climate Change: Public Participation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to coordinate a public engagement programme on adaptation including (a) the risks posed by climate change and (b) actions that individuals can take.

Rebecca Pow: The Government is committed to hearing and learning from the views of different groups on how climate change impacts them, and how it can improve policies and programmes accordingly. The third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) sets out the actions we will take across Government to manage the risks of climate change in the period to 2028. We are taking a dynamic approach to managing the delivery of NAP3, to learn from what works and to continue to develop our response based on the science and developing climate projections. This will be informed by engagement with stakeholders. A public dialogue, overseen by Defra and in partnership with UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI’s) Sciencewise Programme, Ipsos and the University of Leeds, explored the public’s perspectives on climate adaptation and how they think the government, businesses and civil society should address it. 120 members of the public took part in four locations across England. The report of this project was published in July 2023 on the Sciencewise website. It can be accessed at: https://sciencewise.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Climate-Adaptation-Dialogue-Report.pdf.

Flood Control: South Holland and the Deepings

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what remediation and flood prevention work has been undertaken in South Holland and the Deepings constituency since 2019.

Robbie Moore: In the South Holland and the Deepings Constituency, £3.2m of Government Investment (GiA) was invested in Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) schemes between 2019-20 and 2022-23 inclusive. Risk Management Authorities including the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and Internal Drainage Boards work in partnership to deliver the FCERM programme. In this period, 62 properties were better protected through capital schemes. Further flood warning and mapping improvements, recovery activities after flooding in 2019-20, and cross-boundary projects and studies were delivered outside of this capital programme. The Environment Agency has spent £10,511 revenue on Flood and Coastal Risk Management Maintenance between 2019-20 and 2023-24 inclusive. Actions include culvert clearance and weed cutting to improve flood conveyance, maintaining flood defences through embankment repairs and erosion protection, and operational safety improvements and mechanical and electrical maintenance of structures. The Lincolnshire Flood Risk and Water Management Partnership provides co-ordinated management and delivery of food risk and drainage functions of all relevant organisations across Lincolnshire.

Flood Control: Finance

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will publish a breakdown of spending from the flood and coastal erosion risk management investment programme by the (a) number, (b) type and (c) location of flood defences completed.

Robbie Moore: Each year the Environment Agency produces a summary of flood and coastal erosion risk management work carried out by risk management authorities in England. This is required under Section 18 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. When the current FCERM investment programme ends, after March 2027, the Environment Agency will publish a report with a breakdown of spending, similar to the report published in 2022 after the 2015-2021 investment programme. We are in the third year of the current 6-year £5.2 billion Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) investment programme. At the end of March 2023, the Environment Agency estimated that approximately £1.5 billion of this funding has been invested with over 200 flood risk schemes completed and almost 60,000 properties better protected. Below is a breakdown of spending by region for the current investment programme.  ONS Region2021 to 2023 expenditure (£ millions) 2021 to 2023 Properties better protectedEast Midlands1489,620East of England1535,730London679,730North East29240North West2036,570South East24617,490South West1914,240West Midlands722,790Yorkshire & Humber2442,940Nationally led projects1440Total1,49659,350The breakdown of the types of schemes delivered within the first two years is as follows: Main Rivers/Sea140Coastal Erosion8Surface Water66

Environment Agency: Termination of Employment

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many Environment Agency staff have left that organisation in each year since 2015.

Robbie Moore: The number of Environment Agency staff who left and joined the organisation in each financial year since 2016/17 is detailed below. We are unable to provide data from 2014/15 or 2015/16 as this information is not readily available.   (April 2016 - March 2017)(April 2017 - March 2018)(April 2018 - March 2019)(April 2019 - March 2020)(April 2020 - March 2021)(April 2021 - March 2022)(April 2022 - March 2023)(April 2023 - Jan 2024) Number of EA staff who left the organisation within a financial year999198883696675411491315829Number of EA staff who joined the organisation within a financial year977912888100836489022971640

Flood Control: Finance

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2024 to Question 15154 Flood Control: Finance, in which local authority areas the completed flood defences are located; what type of flood defences they are; and how many homes are protected by those flood defences in each local authority area.

Robbie Moore: We are in the third year of the current six-year £5.2 billion Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) investment programme. This investment programme will better protect hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses from flooding and coastal erosion. At the end of March 2023, approximately £1.5 billion of this funding has been invested with 60,000 properties better protected from flooding and coastal erosion. This was delivered through over 200 completed schemes. Below is a table which shows properties better protected by Local Authority boundary between April 2021 and March 2023. The figures include Environment Agency, Local Authority, and Internal Drainage Board flood and coastal risk management projects that fall within that boundary. We are unable to provide a breakdown of the type of flood defences for each authority. However, the Environment Agency’s Programme of flood and coastal erosion risk management shows completed FCERM schemes within the previous six-year investment programme (2015-2021), and the first year of the current capital investment programme (2021-2027) which are now better protecting homes. Each year the Environment Agency also produces a summary of flood and coastal erosion risk management work carried out by risk management authorities in England. This is required under Section 18 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. When the current FCERM investment programme ends, after March 2027, the Environment Agency will publish a report with a breakdown of spending, similar to the report published in 2022 after the 2015-2021 investment programme. Please see the table attached. Notes for the table: The figures are based on the best available information.Flood and coastal schemes built in one Local Authority boundary may benefit under another Local Authority Boundary.Projects that cross multiple boundaries have been grouped together under the ‘cross-boundary projects’ row.The properties were better protected between April 2021 and March 2023. The April 2023 to March 2024 figures have not yet been finalised.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Inland Waterways: World Heritage Sites

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department provides guidance to navigation authorities on attaining World Heritage Status for canal systems.

Julia Lopez: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for nominating sites across the United Kingdom, the Overseas Territories, and the Crown Dependencies to UNESCO for World Heritage Status. The Department last updated the Tentative List of prospective World Heritage nominations in 2022/23.Following the conclusion of this exercise, guidance was published on GOV.UK, which sets out the process for sites seeking World Heritage Status and advises those interested to contact the heritage agency responsible for heritage in their part of the UK (or the relevant Government authority if overseas) in the first instance.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Legal Costs

Pat McFadden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what the total cost to the public purse was of legal (a) support and (b) representation to Ministers in (i) her Department and (ii) the predecessor Department in relation to their official conduct in each of the last three years.

Julia Lopez: Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested. More generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the long-standing policies on legal expenditure, as set out recently by Cabinet Office Ministers on 12 March 2024, Official Report, PQ 17709 and 12 March 2024, Official Report, House of Lords, Cols.1901-1904.

Newspaper Press: Ownership

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the (a) independence and (b) integrity of UK (i) newspapers and (ii) news magazines from foreign state (A) ownership, (B) influence and (C) control.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of banning foreign government ownership of British media assets on (a) the UK's relationship with key international partners and (b) foreign investment in other sectors.

Julia Lopez: Maintaining a free and thriving press is a top government priority. Newspapers and news magazines play a unique role in our democracy, by providing accurate news and information, helping to shape opinions and contributing to political debate. The purchase of UK news organisations by foreign states runs the risk of undermining faith in our free press.To address this we will table government amendments to the Digital Markets, Competition & Consumers (DMCC) Bill at Third Reading to explicitly rule out newspaper and periodical news magazine mergers involving ownership, influence or control by foreign states.We will amend the Enterprise Act 2002 to create a new Foreign State Intervention regime for media mergers to work in parallel with the existing Public Interest Considerations regime. Our focus here is not on foreign investment in the UK media sector in general, but is targeted specifically on foreign state investment of newspapers.Under the new Intervention regime, the Secretary of State would be obliged to refer cases to the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) through a new type of intervention notice, where she has reasonable grounds to believe that “a foreign state newspaper merger situation” has been created. This situation will arise where a merger involving a UK newspaper or news magazine gives a foreign state or body ownership, control or influence over the newspaper enterprise.If the CMA concludes that the merger has or would result in foreign state ownership, influence or control over a newspaper enterprise, the Secretary of State will be required to make an order to block or unwind the merger.We plan for the changes to take immediate effect upon Royal Assent of the DMCC Bill.This policy is still in active development, but we want to ensure that the new measures do not have any undesired effects on wider foreign investment in UK media or on passive investments made by established investment funds.The new measures will only apply to foreign states, foreign state bodies and connected individuals, and only to newspapers and news magazines given the unique role these publications play in contributing to the health of our democracy by providing accurate news and information, helping to shape opinions and contributing to political debate.The UK has a strong track record for encouraging foreign investment which has been critical to growth within the media and wider creative industries. The Government remains committed to encouraging and supporting investment into the UK and we recognise that investors deploying capital into this country rely on the predictability and consistency of our regulatory regime. The UK remains one of the most open economies in the world, which is key for the prosperity and future growth of our nation.

Takeovers

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what her Department's criteria are for referral of a takeover on public interest grounds to (a) Ofcom and (b) the Competition and Markets Authority.

Julia Lopez: The criteria for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to intervene in any media merger are set out in the Enterprise Act 2002.Where the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds for suspecting that a merger covered by the Act has taken place or is in progress, and that one or more public interest consideration is relevant to the merger, she may issue an intervention notice. The intervention notice means that the CMA reports to the Secretary of State on whether a merger covered by the Act has been created or is in progress, whilst Ofcom report to the Secretary of State on the effect of the public interest considerations on the case.The Secretary of State then decides whether to refer the case for further investigation by CMA (a “phase 2” investigation). She has discretion to make a “phase 2” reference f if she believes that it is or may be the case both that one or more public interest considerations outlined under Section 58 of the Enterprise Act 2002 is relevant to the case and that the merger may be expected to operate against the public interest. The CMA must normally report back to the Secretary of State within 24 weeks of a reference being made. Once the Secretary of State receives the CMA report, she must decide whether to make an adverse public interest finding. If the Secretary of State does make an adverse public interest finding then she can take action to remedy the situation - in an appropriate case this could include making an order to block or unwind a merger.Any decision the Secretary of State makes in this process is in a quasi-judicial capacity.

Local Broadcasting and Local Press

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the viability of independent (a) local newspapers and (b) other media.

Julia Lopez: The Government is committed to supporting local and regional newspapers and other news outlets as vital pillars of communities and local democracy. They play an essential role in holding power to account, keeping the public informed of local issues and providing reliable, high-quality information.Amid an evolving media landscape and changes in consumer behaviour, we are working to support journalism and local newsrooms to ensure the sustainability of this vital industry. We are introducing a new, pro-competition regime for digital markets. The regime, which aims to address the far-reaching power of the biggest tech firms, will help rebalance the relationship between publishers and the online platforms on which they increasingly rely. This will make an important contribution to the sustainability of the press.Additionally, our support for the sector has included the delivery of a £2 million Future News Fund, the extension of a 2017 business rates relief on local newspaper office space until 2025; the publication of the Online Media Literacy Strategy; and our work through the Mid-Term Review of the BBC Charter to encourage greater collaboration and transparency from the BBC in the local news market and other markets in which it operates. The BBC also supports the sector directly, through the £8m it spends each year on the Local News Partnership, including the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. We continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining news journalism.

Football: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Sir Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve support for ex-footballers with chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Stuart Andrew: The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. I welcome work by the football industry to protect players from harm and provide practical support to former players who develop neurodegenerative conditions. One example of this is the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Football Brain Health Fund, supported by the Premier League and announced in September 2023, which aims to assist former players and their families who have been impacted by dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions.The Government continues to take the issue of head injuries very seriously. In December 2021 DCMS published its Command Paper report on concussion in sport; outlining the steps the government is undertaking to help reduce risks associated with head injuries by improving understanding, awareness, prevention and treatment of concussion in sport. As part of this, in April 2023 the Government announced the first UK concussion guidelines for grassroots sport, in conjunction with the Sport and Recreation Alliance. This guidance is intended to be a helpful tool in reducing the risks associated with concussion and marks an important step in making sport safer for thousands of people who enjoy sport at a grassroots level, as well as an aid to professional sports.Further research on the links between health, dementia and contact sport is needed to better understand the issue. To that end, DCMS established a Sports Concussion Research Forum in July 2022 to identify key research questions that need answering in this important area.The government remains committed to working with sports to build on the positive work that is already taking place to mitigate the causes and effects of concussion in sport.

Sports: Codes of Practice

Sir Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the cross-sport Code of Conduct is (a) robust and (b) workable in practice; and what lessons she has learnt from the application of CAP code 2.1 for regulation of breaches of the Code.

Stuart Andrew: All domestic sports governing bodies have agreed to four core principles underpinning the cross-sport Code of Conduct on gambling sponsorship: (i) protecting children and young people (ii) socially responsible promotion (iii) reinvestment into sport (iv) maintaining sporting integrity. These principles put in place a robust minimum standard for sponsorship across all sports. Through the code, a proportion of in-stadia advertising will be dedicated to safer gambling messaging, and replica kits for adults will be made available without gambling logos, alongside the existing requirements for childrens’ replica kits.Sports governing bodies must have sufficient flexibility to implement these principles in a way which maximises impact for the sports and their fans. Bespoke, sport-specific Codes are currently being designed by individual sports governing bodies, and will be implemented in due course. The Premier League and English Football League plan to have their Codes in place by next season. DCMS will continue to work closely with sports on their implementation and enforcement practices.As a licence condition, gambling operators must comply with the restrictions set out in the Advertising Codes, which includes robust rules under section 2 regulating the recognition of marketing communications. Under these rules, marketing communications must be obviously identifiable as such and make clear their commercial intent, if that is not obvious from the context. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) can and does take action against breaches, and a recent ruling can be found here. Operators are liable to enforcement action from the Gambling Commission if affiliates which they pay to carry out marketing activities do not comply with the rules.

Department for Transport

Question

Mrs Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to bring critical national infrastructure routes under his Department's control.

Guy Opperman: The Department does not designate whole routes as critical national infrastructure, only certain systems, or key infrastructure points.Both Network Rail and National Highways are government owned companies, operating the rail network in Great Britain and motorway and major A-roads in England respectively.We regularly review the strategic road network extent to ensure it remains fit for purpose, most recently in the consultation process that will inform the third road investment strategy, between 2025-2030.

Department for Transport: Legal Costs

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost to the public purse was for legal (a) support and (b) representation for Ministers in his Department in relation to their official conduct in the last three financial years.

Anthony Browne: Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested.

Electric Vehicles

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to encourage uptake of electronic vehicles among all socioeconomic groups.

Anthony Browne: The Government is committed to keeping the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) affordable for all consumers. Plug-in vehicle grants have been in place for over a decade to support the transition to EVs, and remain in place for harder to transition vehicles such as vans. The uptake of EVs continues to be supported through generous tax incentives. The 2022 Autumn Statement extended favourable benefit in kind tax rates for EVs out to April 2028, and EVs are either exempt or pay minimal Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) until 2025. From 2025, EVs will still have preferential first year rates of VED in comparison to the most polluting vehicles. To transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking, the Government introduced the £381 million Local EV Infrastructure Fund. This will deliver tens of thousands of local chargepoints, ensuring the transition to EVs takes place in every part of the country. The Government also continues to provide funding for domestic and workplace chargepoints. This includes the recently announced grant for eligible households without off-street parking, to install a cross-pavement charging solution.

Department of Transport: Public Expenditure

Patricia Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Spring Budget 2024 on his Department’s spending plans.

Anthony Browne: The Spring Budget was not a Spending Review, and as such departmental spending limits are unaffected.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Income

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the gross income of the DVLA was from fees for providing information about the personal details of the keepers of vehicles registered on the DVLA database in each of the last four years for which information is available; and how much of that income came from commercial parking companies.

Guy Opperman: The income from fees for providing information about keepers of vehicles registered on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) database is shown in the table below:Financial Year£m2019 – 2023.292020 – 2113.182021 – 2223.902022 – 2330.18  These fees are set to cover the costs of providing services to its customers. The specific information requested about commercial parking companies is not held. The DVLA does publish information about who it shares its data with on GOV.UK. This includes volumes for enquiries made through the keeper at date of event (KADOE) service which provides details of the registered vehicle keeper on a specified date. This report includes electronic enquiries made by parking companies and can be viewed using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/who-dvla-shares-data-with.

Railways: Repairs and Maintenance

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish recorded incidents of Network Rail failing to meet maintenance standards set by the Office of Rail and Road in each of the last five years.

Huw Merriman: The Secretary of State does not hold data related to recorded incidents of Network Rail (NR) failing to meet maintenance standards set by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). NR sets its own maintenance standards with the ORR seeking assurance that NR’s standards are in line with best practice and monitoring its compliance with health and safety law, including relevant maintenance standards. Given the volume of maintenance work NR is responsible for, it would be impractical for the ORR to monitor every activity, rather, the ORR reviews NR’s maintenance processes on a frequent basis using route-level safety data and 'deep dives' into specific technical issues.

Bus Services: North Yorkshire

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve (a) connectivity and (b) reliability in bus services in (i) York and (ii) North Yorkshire.

Guy Opperman: The Government recognises the importance of local bus services to ensuring communities can stay connected and has announced over £4.5 billion to support and improve bus services since 2020. This includes over £2 billion to help local authorities deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans, of which City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council have been allocated over £18.5 million and £6.4 million respectively between 2022/23 and 2024/25. The Government also makes over £200 million available to bus operators every year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to help them maintain their network. A further £42 million in BSOG funding is provided directly to local authorities to help subsidise socially necessary bus services that might otherwise be commercially unviable. City of York Council receives £150,416 and North Yorkshire County Council receives over £1 million of this funding every year. City of York have also been allocated a total of £10.3 million through the ZEBRA 1 scheme and North Yorkshire were awarded £7.8 million.

Great British Railways: Public Appointments

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the recruitment process for a new head of Great British Railways is transparent.

Huw Merriman: Once legislation is in place we will appoint the head of Great British Railways, using an open and fair recruitment process as we do for other Arms- Length Bodies

Railways: Ashford

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to improve the performance of train services between London and Ashford.

Huw Merriman: The Department monitors train operators’ operational performance closely to ensure they provide the best possible experience for those using our railways and hold them to account through regular review of their delivery of contractual service level commitments.I am aware that in recent weeks Southeastern have faced several challenges affecting services across their network including the route between London and Ashford, including sustained heavy rainfall leading to the wettest February in Kent on record. Southeastern are working closely with Network Rail to mitigate these risks.

Tyne and Wear Metro: Railway Signals

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to improve signalling on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Huw Merriman: The Department is currently working with Nexus (operator of the Tyne and Wear Metro) across a range of proposals and live projects. We are awaiting a business case submission from Nexus to address any future signalling proposals. We look forward to receiving this and considering Nexus’s submission through the department's project governance process.

Marshlink Line: Standards

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of trains between Ashford and Rye.

Huw Merriman: Over the past three full railway periods (December 2023 to the start of March 2024) 76.5% of services on this route arrived within 1 minute of their planned arrival time and 4.1% of services were cancelled. This is an improvement from the same period last year where 59% of services arrived within 1 minute of their planned arrival time and 5.8% of services were cancelled.

Department for Transport: Innovation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to encourage innovation in (a) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, (b) the DVLA, (c) HS2 Ltd. and (d) National Highways.

Anthony Browne: The UK Government has an overarching goal of making the UK a global hub for innovation, placing innovation at the centre of everything the nation does. We can see this within our Public Bodies:Maritime and Coastguard AgencyThe MCA is committed to supporting innovation in maritime. This includes:- Taking an enabling approach to regulation of innovative future maritime technologies,- Implementation of the UK Concierge Service and the My MCA technology platform supporting customers and the UK economy, and- Empowering and supporting staff to explore innovative ways of working, including digital technology, to make best use of resources.DVLAThe DVLA builds its new software and services using the very latest methodologies and technologies. Examples include:- It is a fast adopter of cutting edge features offered by public cloud infrastructure so it can deliver quicker, safer and serve greater numbers of customers than ever before.- The DVLA’s in-house TechLab research emerging technologies, including how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can assist in building software to support motorists though their interactions with DVLA.- The DVLA has used these innovations most recently in the development of its driver and vehicles account. When fully rolled out, the account will fundamentally change how the DVLA operates, allowing individuals to authenticate, register and return to DVLA services, view and manage their details, set notification preferences (including reminders) and seamlessly link to the services they need.HS2 Ltd.HS2 Ltd is at the forefront of innovation within the construction industry and has an obligation to incentivise innovation across the supply chain under the Development Agreement.Innovation across the programme has made HS2 more efficient with hundreds of millions saved through an accelerator programme to fast-track technology and ideas into the supply chain. Since its launch in September 2020, the accelerator has supported 25 SMEs, raised £220 million in investment, funding and contracts, and helped to create 418 new STEM jobs. Two of the SMEs supported through the accelerator have recently been through an acquisition on the basis of their success.D. National HighwaysNational Highways have an innovation and modernisation fund. The Department has provided £216m to NH for this fund during RIS2 (covering the period 2020-2025).They will use it to research and develop emerging technologies which have the potential to revolutionise what it means to travel on our roads. They will also use this fund to produce new requirements and guidance for proven concepts, enabling the widespread adoption of innovations to modernise the road network. The fund is split across 5 themes:- Design, construction, and maintenance- Connected and autonomous vehicles- Customer mobility- Energy and environment- OperationsThe Department expect a similar approach to be continued in RIS3 (covering the period 2025-30) which is currently in development.

Great British Railways: Public Appointments

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on Civil Service pay structures for the appointment of the head of Great British Railways.

Huw Merriman: Once legislation is in place we will appoint the head of Great British Railways, using an open and fair recruitment process as we do for other Arms- Length Bodies

Electric Vehicles: Charging Points

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has held recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on the potential impact of planning regulations on the installation of electronic vehicle charging points.

Anthony Browne: Officials in the Department for Transport and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) are exploring potential changes to planning to make it easier to install chargepoints. In 2023, the Government introduced changes to permitted development rights (PDR), enabling chargepoint operators to install through PDR on behalf of local authorities. On 13 February 2024, DLUHC launched a consultation, seeking to make further changes to PDR. The proposed changes aim to make installations at off-street locations easier and quicker. A government response to the consultation will be issued in due course.

Avanti West Coast: Standards

Mr David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many scheduled services Avanti West Coast have cancelled as a result of shortage of crew since 1 January 2024.

Huw Merriman: Avanti West Coast has reported a total of 798 full cancelations attributed to traincrew shortages compared to 18,671 planned services between 1 January 2024 and 18 March 2023.Traincrew shortages, linked to a lack of driver overtime and ongoing industrial action, present a challenge to running services with the reliability passengers expect. Difficulties in managing historic traincrew terms and conditions will continue to impact AWC services until modernisation of working arrangements can be agreed.

High Speed 2 Line

Jack Brereton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many boreholes along the HS2 Phase 2 route have (a) been filled and (b) had land restored since the decision to cancel Phase 2; and when he expects the work of removing boreholes and compounds along the Phase 2 route be completed.

Huw Merriman: Work continues to develop the closedown, remediation, and demobilisation plan for Phase 2. A further update will be provided in the next HS2 parliamentary report.

Mill Hill Broadway Station: Access

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the original cost of the Access for All project at Mill Hill Broadway station.

Huw Merriman: The Access for All project at Mill Hill Broadway station is at the outline design stage. The initial contractor estimate to deliver the project is £8m, which Network Rail are currently reviewing and challenging.

Mill Hill Broadway Station: Access

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated cost is of the Access for All project at Mill Hill Broadway station.

Huw Merriman: The Access for All project at Mill Hill Broadway station is at the outline design stage. Network Rail are currently reviewing and challenging the cost estimate.

Airports

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the review of slots policy will clarify the exemption for non-use of slots for reasons outside the control of the carrier.

Anthony Browne: We published the airport slot reform consultation on 4 December 2023 putting forward options for longer term reform of the slot system, including powers to provide alleviation from slot rules in exceptional circumstances. The consultation closed on 8 March. We are considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.In addition, a permanent expansion of justified non-utilisation provisions to include pandemics and other health crisis is being taken forward separately using powers in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023.

Railway Network

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of previously closed train lines have been reopened since the publication of the Williams Review.

Huw Merriman: As part of the Restoring Your Railway programme, more than 30 miles of train lines in England and Wales will have been reopened to regular passenger services by the end of this year, comprising the Exeter to Okehampton (Dartmoor) line and the Newcastle to Ashington (Northumberland) line.

Public Transport: Somerset

Sarah Dyke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support he is providing for public transport in Somerset.

Anthony Browne: The Government recognises the importance of high quality, affordable public transport and is committed to working with local authorities to support and improve services for passengers. We have taken action to help improve public transport in Somerset, including providing over £13 million to help deliver better bus services, and as part of the MetroWest Programme and May ‘23 Timetable, increased rail services are now running to and from the area.

St Pancras Station: Immigration Controls

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System does not delay cross-Channel rail travellers.

Huw Merriman: I recognise the importance of smooth passenger flows for international rail services and it is the Government’s priority to support pragmatic solutions to address the potential impact of the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) at juxtaposed controls. My officials have and continue to work closely with Home Office (as the lead Department) and industry partners, including HS1 Ltd, Eurostar and Eurotunnel to prepare for the implementation of EES later this year.

Rescue Services: Standards

Mr Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the operators of helicopter search and rescue services on response times.

Anthony Browne: As the Rt Hon Member will be aware, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency manages the contract for search and rescue helicopter services on behalf of the Department for Transport, and the ongoing activity related to the future of these services, including response times. Analysis of recent incident data is underway which will be concluded later this year, after which the MCA will provide further updates.

Roads: Dorset

Danny Kruger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his planned timetable is for publication of the M4 to Dorset Coast Connectivity Study.

Guy Opperman: The M4 to Dorset Coast Study has been considering how to improve north-south strategic road connectivity between the M4 corridor and the Dorset Coast.The findings of this study will be reflected in the final RIS3 document when published later in 2024. Rather than a standalone report, National Highways will be in contact to discuss its outcomes with you.

Railways: East of England

Matt Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his planned timetable is for the upgrading of Haughley and Ely rail junctions.

Huw Merriman: The recently announced Network North programme of investment included confirmation of government’s support for the Ely Area Capacity Enhancement (EACE) programme and the substantial benefits this will bring, including a doubling of passenger services on the Ely to Kings Lynn and Ipswich to Peterborough routes together with additional freight paths into the Port of Felixstowe. Network Rail have developed the scheme to Outline Business Case stage; next steps will involve further investment case development and delivery planning.

London Underground: Mould

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will have discussions with Transport for London on (a) the prevalence of mould on the London Underground and (b) the potential impact on the health of passengers.

Huw Merriman: Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). While the Department for Transport works closely with TfL on a range of issues, operational decisions around health and safety are matters solely for them.

Motor Vehicles: Registration

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many statutory off-road notifications were received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in 2023.

Guy Opperman: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) received 2,912,375 statutory off-road notifications in 2023.

Great British Railways: Marketing

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Great British Railways transition team has spent on (a) branding, (b) marketing, (c) advertising, (d) public relations and (e) social media.

Huw Merriman: A core part of Great British Railways Transition Team's remit since its creation has been to engage with the industry to prepare for a new industry guiding mind. To date it has spent £21k on branding, £255k on advertising, public relations, and social media and £0 on marketing. GBRTT have led on cross-industry initiatives such as the two Great British Rail Sales.

Department for Transport: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people sit on his Department's accessibility group; and of those, how many identify as disabled.

Anthony Browne: The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) currently consists of 10 members including its Chair. Of these, 7 members identify as disabled.

Great British Railways: Employment Agencies

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Great British Railways transition team has spent with recruitment agencies.

Huw Merriman: No money has been spent by the Great British Railways Transition Team with recruitment agencies.

Aviation: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to require airline staff to wear cameras to help prevent discrimination against disabled airline passengers by staff.

Anthony Browne: Air travel should be enjoyable and accessible for all, and discrimination against disabled passengers is completely unacceptable.Government has been clear with the aviation industry that it must provide the best possible service, including ensuring disabled passengers receive the support they require.UK aviation operates in the private sector, and it would not be for the UK government to mandate use of body worn cameras by airline staff.

Aviation: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on the introduction of an airlines accessibility framework.

Anthony Browne: The Civil Aviation Authority, the UK’s specialist aviation regulator, consulted on the introduction of an airline accessibility performance framework, which closed in July 2023. The CAA has been analysing the responses, and will publish its response to that consultation and next steps in due course.

Railways: Safety

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure passenger (a) safety levels and (b) confidence on the rail network (i) during strike action and (ii) when minimum service levels are used.

Huw Merriman: We expect train and station operators to comply with their health and safety responsibilities to protect passengers from risks on crowded trains and at stations, so far as is reasonably practicable. During periods of strike action, rail operators deploy measures such as implementing amended timetables to ensure services can be delivered reliably and safely. To minimise impacts and keep passengers informed during periods of strike action, the rail industry uses widespread passenger messaging to publicise disruption and the latest travel information in stations, through websites, and on social media channels.

St Pancras Station: Immigration Controls

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to increase capacity at St Pancras International following the introduction of the EU’s Entry Exit System.

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that St Pancras International is prepared for the introduction of the EU’s Entry Exit System.

Huw Merriman: The Government recognises the importance of smooth passenger flows at St Pancras International and it is the Government’s priority to support, where possible, pragmatic solutions to address the potential impact of the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES) at locations in the UK with juxtaposed controls, including St Pancras. My Department will continue to engage closely with St Pancras partners on preparations ahead of EES implementation later this year.

Railways: Anniversaries

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to take steps to mark the anniversary of 200 years of passenger train travel in 2025.

Huw Merriman: Railway 200 has been developed by a cross industry partnership for a year-long nationwide partnership-led campaign to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway and inspire a new generation of young people to choose a career in rail. Starting in January 2025, a wide variety of activities and events are being planned to celebrate rail’s remarkable past, its role today, and its importance to a sustainable future. The partnership-led approach will provide a framework to support local activity across the whole of the UK which, along with a small number of centrally delivered initiatives, will result in an exciting and diverse campaign delivering a real legacy beyond 2025. Railway 200 has the Department for Transport’s full support and Ministerial endorsement

Great British Railways: Staff

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Great British Railways transition team has spent on staffing.

Huw Merriman: £49.18m – over the period from October 2021 to 1 March 2024. As well as the work the Great British Railways Transition Team has led with the industry to prepare for a new industry guiding mind, it continues to play a valuable role across a broad range of areas. This includes developing tools to support better decision making across track and train to drive efficiencies, supporting the expansion of PAYG to make it easier for people to travel by train, advising the department on setting the new rail freight growth target, playing a key role in initiatives to drive revenue recovery and helping develop the National Rail Accessibility Strategy.

Roads: Accidents

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of National Highways’ progress towards its target of reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the Strategic Road Network by 50% by the end of 2025.

Guy Opperman: As of 2022, National Highways has achieved a 38% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSIs) on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) compared to a baseline of the 2005 to 2009 average.

Roads: Capital Investment

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the value attributed to a prevented fatality in business cases for road investment.

Guy Opperman: This assessment is already happening. The Department is part of a cross-government consortium that keeps values for life and health impacts, including the value of a prevented fatality, under review and is developing plans to take forward the recommendations in the 2020 scoping study Valuation of risks to life and health: Monetary Value of a Life Year.

East West Rail Line

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of East West Rail on the journey time between Oxford and Cambridge.

Huw Merriman: Modelling conducted by the East West Rail Company and released as part of their Route Update Announcement in 2023 shows an estimated journey time of 89 minutes between Oxford and Cambridge by rail once East West Rail is completed, compared to a current journey time of 167 minutes by road during peak times.

Carbon Emissions: Finance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2024 to Question 17164 on Carbon Emissions: Finance, how much funding has been allocated for the continuation of his Department's 2024-25 net zero policies in the 2025-26 financial year.

Anthony Browne: Departmental budgets are set at Spending Reviews. The previous Spending Review (SR21) set departmental budgets until 24-25. Funding for the continuation of net zero policies in 25-26 will be allocated as part of the next Spending Review.

Railways: Preston

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of levels of train cancellations into Preston; and what plans he has to help reduce such cancellations.

Huw Merriman: Ministers, DfT and Rail North Partnership Officials regularly meet with the senior management of Network Rail and train operators to review performance, including at Preston. We continue to hold operators to account for matters within their control and will continue to use all contractual levers to drive the best outcomes for passengers. The Department will continue to work collaboratively with train operating companies and Network Rail to ensure a high performing railway contributes to growth and local economies.

Carbon Emissions: Finance

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 March 2024 to Question 17165 on Carbon Emissions: Finance, how much funding each of the policies listed will receive in the financial year 2025-26.

Anthony Browne: Departmental budgets are set at Spending Reviews. The previous Spending Review (SR21) set departmental budgets until 2024-25. Funding for the continuation of net zero policies in 2025-26 will be allocated as part of the next Spending Review.

A303: Stonehenge

Danny Kruger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an estimate of the (a) (i) previous, (ii) future and (iii) total costs for the construction of the A303 Stonehenge road scheme between Amesbury and Berwick Down and (b) annual maintenance costs over the next 60 years in present day values; and whether contractual penalties exist if the scheme is (A) cancelled and (B) subject to serious construction delays.

Guy Opperman: Construction costsIn 2017, when the Outline Business Case was approved, the construction costs estimate range for the project was between £1.1bn to £2.5bn, with a central estimate of £1.6bn. This was predicated on starting construction work in 2021 and the project being delivered under the government’s Private Finance 2 model (PF2).In 2018, the estimate was updated following the cancellation of PF2. The revisedcost estimate ranged between £1.5bn to £2.8bn, with a central estimate of £1.9bn. This was predicated on a start of works in 2021 and public funding. Maintenance costsBased on 2019 prices, National Highways will need to make provision for operations, maintenance and renewals costs of approximately £8m per annum (plus inflation) over a 60-year operating period. Contractual PenaltiesThere are no contractual penalties if the project is cancelled or delayed, but National Highways would need to agree compensation events relating to the costs of delay and inflation.

Department of Health and Social Care

Nurses: Mental Health

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the mental health and wellbeing of student nurses in England.

Andrew Stephenson: The health and wellbeing of all National Health Service staff is taken seriously, and there is a wide range of support in place to aid the health and wellbeing of NHS staff. This includes a Health and Wellbeing Guardian role to ensure board level scrutiny, and that there are tools and resources to support line managers in holding meaningful conversations with staff to discuss their emotional and psychological health and wellbeing. The support package also includes access to regional mental health and wellbeing hubs.In 2023, NHS England published a strategy to grow occupational health and wellbeing, setting out a roadmap for the NHS and partner organisations to work together to develop and invest in occupational health and wellbeing services for staff over the next five years. To ensure there is a long term sustainable approach to supporting staff, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan has tasked integrated care boards with developing and implementing plans to invest in occupational health and wellbeing services.

Osteoporosis: Screening

Karin Smyth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of community diagnostic centres carried out DEXA scanning in 2023; and how many DEXA scans were conducted in community diagnostic centres (a) in total and (b) in each centre.

Andrew Stephenson: Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans were recommended as part of the Sir Mike Richards Diagnostics Recovery and Renewal report as an additional service that could be offered in community diagnostic centres (CDCs) in addition to the core recommended services, and provision of it in CDCs will be determined locally.As of the end of December 2023, 15 CDCs had reported carrying out DEXA scanning in 2023. The number of CDCs operational at the end of December 2023 was 141. The proportion of the total number of CDCs offering DEXA scans, therefore, was 10.6% as of the end of December 2023.The total number of DEXA scans conducted in CDCs from 1 January to 31 December 2023 was 25,879. This is published monthly as of April 2023 as part of NHS Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity Data (DM01), which is available at the following link:https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/monthly-diagnostics-waiting-times-and-activity/We do not hold the number of DEXA scans in each CDC in the format requested and this data can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

NHS: Health Professions

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) Medical Physicists and (b) Clinical Engineers required in the NHS over the next (i) five (ii) 10 and (iii) 15 years.

Andrew Stephenson: NHS England does not hold data centrally on the requested information, although there are a range of estimates carried out by different groups.The Diagnostic Imaging Networks have been encouraged to look at demand and capacity modelling at an integrated care board level.

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan

Craig Tracey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to not recommend trastuzumab deruxtecan for HER2-low secondary breast cancer for use on NHS on the life expectancy of eligible women.

Andrew Stephenson: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not yet published final guidance on the use of trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) for the treatment of metastatic HER2-low breast cancer. The NICE published final draft guidance on 5 March 2024, that does not recommend it as a clinically and cost-effective use of National Health Service resources. Stakeholders had until 19 March 2024 to lodge an appeal against the NICE’s recommendations. The NICE currently expects to publish final guidance on 3 April 2024.

NHS: Overseas Workers

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS employees are based outside the United Kingdom.

Andrew Stephenson: The Department does not hold the information requested.

Brain: Tumours

Taiwo Owatemi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people have been diagnosed with a brain tumour through the non-specific symptoms pathway.

Andrew Stephenson: The latest data shows that fewer than 10 brain and central nervous system (CNS) cancers have been diagnosed through non-specific symptom (NSS) pathways, or 0.4% of all cancers diagnosed through NSS pathways. Brain and CNS cancers are not one of the most common types diagnosed through NSS pathways.

Dental Services: Finance

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Oral Statement of 7 February 2024 on NHS Dentistry: Recovery and Reform, Official Report, columns 251-253, which areas will be included in the first cohort to offer golden hello payments to dentists.

Andrea Leadsom: To support practices in areas where recruitment is particularly challenging, we will launch a new Golden Hello scheme. We will implement schemes working with integrated care boards that are struggling to recover their activity levels, and would significantly benefit. A Golden Hello of £20,000 will be offered per dentist for up to 240 dentists. Payments will be phased over three years, requiring a commitment from the dentist to stay in that area delivering National Health Service work for at least three years. We will decide on locations in the coming months.

Coronavirus: Immunosuppression

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) Evusheld 2 and (b) other covid-19 treatments for the immuno-compromised are available to patients.

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will have discussions with NICE on developing a fast track approval process for covid-19 treatments for the immuno-compromised.

Andrew Stephenson: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes recommendations on whether all new licensed medicines, including medicines for COVID-19, should be routinely funded by the National Health Service, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NICE aims, wherever possible, to publish guidance close to licensing and the NHS in England is legally required to fund medicines recommended by the NICE, normally within three months of final guidance.The NICE has published guidance that recommends three medicines, paxlovid, xevudy, and roactemra, for the treatment of COVID-19, both in the community and for patients in hospital. This guidance ensures that patients who are at the highest risk of developing severe disease from COVID-19 have access to clinically and cost-effective treatments.The NICE has started its appraisal of sipavibart, which has been referred to as evusheld 2.0, through its standard processes, and its Appraisal Committee will meet to consider its recommendations in October 2024. The NICE will aim to publish its guidance as close as possible to licensing.

Dental Services: Travel

Helen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an estimate of the average distance people travel to access an NHS dentist in (a) North Shropshire constituency and (b) the UK.

Andrea Leadsom: We want to make sure that everyone needing a National Health Service dentist can access one. Our plan to recover and reform NHS dentistry will make dental services faster, simpler, and fairer for patients, and will fund approximately 2.5 million additional appointments, or more than 1.5 million additional courses of dental treatment. This is especially important for those who live in rural or coastal communities, where we know access can be particularly challenging.Our plan includes a new Golden Hello scheme for dentists who want to move to those areas which persistently struggle to attract dentists into NHS work. A Golden Hello of £20,000 will be offered per dentist, for a total of up to 240 dentists.There are other measures in our Dentistry Recovery Plan which will help to improve access across all areas of the country. The new patient premium is designed to support dentists to see patients who may not have seen an NHS dentist for some time, and is offered in recognition of the additional time that may be needed for practices to assess, stabilise, and manage patients’ oral health needs. We will also raise the minimum Units of Dental Activity rate from £23 to £28, supporting practices across the country to deliver more NHS care. We do not hold data on the average distance people travel to access an NHS dentist.

Dental Services: Schools

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Oral Statement of 7 February 2024 on NHS Dentistry: Recovery and Reform, Official Report, columns 251-253, what her planned timetable is for the deployment of mobile dental teams in schools; and what criteria she plans to use to determine their locations.

Andrea Leadsom: Our plan to recover and reform the National Health Service will ensure that children can access preventative care. We will be deploying dental teams to bring preventative dental services such as fluoride varnish directly to children. Dental teams will visit state primary schools in the most need, with higher levels of child tooth decay, and provide fluoride varnish treatments and advice. Starting later this year, we will deploy mobile dental teams into schools in under-served areas, to provide advice and deliver preventative fluoride varnish treatments to more than 165,000 children, strengthening their teeth and preventing tooth decay.

Dental Services: Norfolk

James Wild: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to her Oral Statement of 7 February 2024 on NHS Dentistry: Recovery and Reform, Official Report, columns 251-253, what her planned timetable is for the deployment of dental vans in (a) Norfolk and (b) North West Norfolk constituency.

Andrea Leadsom: We will deploy dental vans offering appointments to patients in targeted rural and coastal communities who have the most limited access to dentistry, including Norfolk. We are currently working with NHS England and the integrated care boards to agree where the vans will be deployed. Dental vans will begin to be implemented later this year.

Life Expectancy

Sir Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential long-term impact of the cost of living on life expectancy; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce regional disparities in life expectancy.

Andrea Leadsom: The Government is mindful of potential interactions between cost of living pressures and health, which is one of the reasons we are delivering cost of living support worth an average of £3,700 per household between 2022 and 2025. The Government is committed to its levelling up mission to narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy by 2030, and increase healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035.In January 2023 we announced our plan to publish the Major Conditions Strategy. The strategy will be a direction setting document which aims to pave the way for further action towards integrated care, coordinated around the needs of people, to address our aims of improving healthy life expectancy, reduce pressure on the National Health Service, and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity. It will emphasise the importance of working with local services and organisations to address disparities in health outcomes, supporting the levelling up mission. Our intention is to publish the Major Conditions Strategy in Spring 2024.

NHS Low Income Scheme

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many applications were made to the NHS low income scheme in 2023.

Andrea Leadsom: In 2023 there were 378,367 applications for the NHS Low Income Scheme, which provides income related help to people who are not automatically exempt from charges but who may be entitled to full or partial help if they have a low income and savings below a defined limit.Source: NHS Business Service Authority data warehouse.

General Practitioners: Labour Turnover

Jane Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve levels of GP retention.

Jane Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department has taken to support GPs with increases in workloads; and what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of this support.

Andrea Leadsom: The Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, published by NHS England in May 2023, sets out actions to cut bureaucracy and workload, which includes reducing demands of general practice (GP) time from unnecessary or low-value asks, improving the interface between primary and secondary care, and significantly streamlining the Impact and Investment Fund by reducing the number of indicators from 36 to five in 2023/24.We are working with NHS England to increase the GP workforce in England. This includes measures to boost recruitment, address the reasons why doctors leave the profession, and encourage them to return to practice. NHS England has made available a number of recruitment and retention schemes to boost the GP workforce. This includes the National GP Induction and Refresher scheme, the Return to Practice programme, and the International Induction Programme.Through the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), Primary Care Networks and practices have recruited over 36,000 additional staff including nursing associates, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and social prescribing link workers, hitting the Government's target to recruit 26,000 a year, ahead of the March 2024 deadline. The expanded primary care teams funded through the ARRS not only add extra clinical capacity, helping to reduce the burden on GPs, but also form the basis for multi-disciplinary teams to work on improving the care offered to patients.

Pharmacy: Safety

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the safety of community pharmacies.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many incidences of assault have been committed against community pharmacy staff in the last year.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an estimate of the amount of medication that has been stolen from community pharmacies in the last year.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has taken recent steps to ensure that there is increased security for medicines within community pharmacies.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the levels of security in community pharmacies to ensure (a) staff and (b) public safety.

Andrea Leadsom: The data related to crime, including assault and theft, in community pharmacies is not held by the Department but could be obtained from individual police departments through Freedom of Information requests. These are matters for the police and criminal justice system. Community pharmacy staff are considered emergency workers under the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 which provides for increased sentencing powers.Community pharmacies are private businesses that are commissioned to provide National Health Service pharmaceutical services and are legally responsible for the health and safety of their staff.Pharmacies are by law required to keep controlled drugs, those most likely to be abused or that pose a risk of diversion from a legal supply route, in a locked safe, cabinet or room which is constructed to prevent unauthorised access to the drugs.

Health Services: Women

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of women’s health hubs in reducing waiting times for women’s health (a) diagnoses and (b) treatment.

Maria Caulfield: We are investing £25 million into women’s health hubs to support better access to services, improve health outcomes, and reduce unnecessary secondary care referrals. The interim report from the University of Birmingham, RAND, and the Cambridge Evaluation (BRACE) Centre, named Early evaluation of women’s health hubs and published in October 2022, showed that hubs can ease pressures on secondary care services and gynaecology waiting lists by improving access to care in the community. The report is available at the following link:https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents/college-social-sciences/social-policy/brace/whh-interim-summary-paper-final.pdfOur cost-benefit analysis published in July 2023 used existing evidence to quantify the benefits generated by hubs, which includes improved access to services, improved health outcomes for women, and fewer secondary care referrals. This estimates there will be £5 of benefits for every £1 spent on a hub the size of a primary care network. Further assessments will be made based on reporting from integrated care boards, as their hubs are set up.

Endometriosis: Diagnosis

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken for endometriosis diagnoses.

Maria Caulfield: Care for menstrual problems including endometriosis is a 2024 priority for implementing the Women’s Health Strategy. We are investing £25 million in establishing women’s health hubs, which will play a key role in improving access to care for menstrual problems such as suspected endometriosis.Through the NHS Delivery Plan for tackling the COVID-19 related elective care backlog, we are increasing activity through dedicated and protected surgical hubs that conduct planned procedures only. Surgical hubs are focusing on providing high-volume low-complexity surgery such as laparoscopies for suspected endometriosis. As of March 2024, 48 surgical hubs conduct gynaecological procedures.Community diagnostic centres (CDCs) are playing an important part in tackling the backlogs of people waiting for diagnostic tests, which includes checks, tests, and scans for patients on gynaecological pathways, including those with endometriosis. As of March 2024, there are 155 CDCs open already, and up to 160 set to open by March 2025.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is currently updating its guideline on diagnosing and managing endometriosis, which will provide healthcare professionals with evidence-based recommendations on diagnosing and treating endometriosis. NHS England is also updating the service specification for severe endometriosis, which sets the standards of care expected from National Health Service organisations.

Health Professions: Regulation

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what her Department's policy is on the regulation of clinical technologists.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will introduce a statutory register for (a) clinical technologists and (b) other health professionals that use a voluntary register.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had recent discussions with the Health and Care Professions Council on the registration of clinical technologists.

Andrew Stephenson: Clinical Technologists are not regulated by law and the Government has no current plans to extend statutory regulation to the profession. The statutory regulation of healthcare professionals should only be used where the risks to public and patient protection cannot be addressed in other ways, such as through employer oversight or accredited voluntary registration.The Government keeps the professions subject to statutory regulation under review and published a consultation, Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate. The consultation ran from 6 January to 31 March 2022 and sought views on the criteria that should be used to determine when statutory regulation of a healthcare profession is appropriate. The Government will publish its response in due course.The Department has not held any recent discussions with the Health and Care Professions Council on the registration of Clinical Technologists. The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) for health and social care’s Accredited Registers Programme independently assesses organisations who register practitioners who are not regulated by law. Healthcare scientists concerned with the practical application of physics, engineering, and technology are able to apply to join the register of Clinical Technologists, which is accredited by the PSA.

Allergies

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the federated data platform will include functionality to enable the creation of a consolidated national allergy register.

Andrew Stephenson: The current use cases for the Federated Data Platform (FDP) are:- elective recovery, to address the backlog of people waiting for appointments or treatments;- care coordination, to enable the effective coordination of care between local health and care organisations and services, reducing the number of long stays in hospital;- vaccination and immunisation, to continue to support the vaccination and immunisation of vulnerable people while ensuring fair and equal access and uptake across different communities;- population health management, to help integrated care systems proactively plan services that meet the needs of their population; and- supply chain management, to help the National Health Service put resources where they are needed most, and buy smarter so that we get the best value for money.The creation of a consolidated national allergy register, or identifiable national clinical data registries, is not in the current scope of the FDP, which will not be processing identifiable patient data at a national level. More products will be developed on the FDP throughout the lifecycle of this programme.The FDP programme has developed a front door process and demand assessment framework which will be used for new requirements coming into the programme. The assessment framework assesses ideas and requests on the basis of their fit to the core FDP objectives and targeted business case outcomes, as well as assessing against the feasibility of successful delivery when considering things like cost, capacity, wider system dependencies, and other factors. In regard to a consolidated national allergy register, we would expect discussions to be held initially within the National Disease Registry Service.Alongside the FDP, NHS England are investing in platform modernisation, including the Patient Outcomes and Registries Platform (ORP) which is a unified national registry platform integrated into NHS England’s system data infrastructure for improved data security, flow, linkage, and analysis, and faster pace of registry development.The ORP’s directions cover all outcome registries, patient-reported outcome measures and patient-reported experience measures, and shared decision-making and data collections across a wide range of conditions, including all surgical and interventional procedures in the NHS and independent sector. A national allergy register or registry may be in the scope for the ORP’s coverage.

Drugs

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many medicine supply issue notifications her Department has received in each month since 2017.

Andrew Stephenson: There are around 14,000 licensed medicines, and the overwhelming majority are in good supply. However, the medicine supply chain is highly regulated, complex, and global and supply disruption is an issue which affects countries all around the world.The Department’s medicines Discontinuations and Shortages (DaSH) portal was established in October 2020 to collect notifications from suppliers of potential supply issues. Data from before October 2020 cannot be provided as this information is not held. The following table shows the number of supply issue notifications added to the DaSH portal, each month since 2020:Month added to DaSHNumber of supply issue notificationsOctober 2020180November 2020130December 202090January 202190February 202170March 202160April 202150May 202160June 2021130July 202160August 2021100September 202190October 202180November 2021100December 2021100January 2022110February 2022130March 202270April 2022100May 2022120June 2022140July 2022210August 2022140September 2022180October 2022130November 2022180December 2022110January 2023170February 2023130March 2023140April 2023120May 2023120June 2023130July 2023130August 2023160September 2023110October 2023130November 2023170December 2023140January 2024160

Health: Children

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will (a) publish average weight to height ratios for children in England and (b) provide advice on any health implications for those who have a ratio significantly larger or smaller than the average.

Andrea Leadsom: The National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) collects data on the height and weight status of children aged four to five years old, who are in Reception, and 10 to 11 years old, who are in Year six. The data collected and published by NHS England is expressed as a Body Mass Index (BMI) centile, to estimate child overweight and obesity. Data on average weight to height ratios for children in England is not available. The Department does not plan to publish data on average weight to height ratios, or average waist to height ratios for children in England. Waist measurements are not collected as part of the NCMP.The clinical guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Research recommends that a waist to height ratio measurement is considered alongside a child’s BMI centile in individual clinical assessments, to give a practical estimate of central adiposity. If a child falls into an unhealthy weight category, a waist to height ratio will give additional health information in clinical settings. This includes helping to assess and predict individual health risks such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease, as the location of where children carry weight on their bodies has an influence on their health.

Heart Diseases: Prescriptions

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits ofincluding heart disease on the list of exempted conditions for prescription charges in England.

Andrea Leadsom: While the Government’s policy remains that there are no plans to review the list of medical conditions that entitle someone to apply for a medical exemption certificate, there are extensive arrangements currently in place in England to ensure that prescriptions are affordable for everyone including for those with heart disease.Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England, and there is a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place for which those with heart disease may be eligible. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. The scheme provides income related help to people who are not automatically exempt from charges but who may be entitled to full or partial help if they have a low income and savings below a defined limit.To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS Low Income Scheme, prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) are available. PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three month and 12 month certificates available.

NHS: Health Professions

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of recent advances in clinical (a) technology and (b) other equipment on the number of (i) medical physicists and (ii) clinical engineers that are required in the NHS.

Andrew Stephenson: The Department does not plan to make specific assessments of the impacts, but advances in clinical technology and equipment are crucial to the work of NHS England. For example, the Government has invested in the latest technology in radiotherapy, ensuring that every radiotherapy provider had access to modern, cutting-edge radiotherapy equipment, enabling the rollout of new techniques like stereotactic ablative radiotherapy. The total central investment made between 2016 and 2021 was £162 million, and enabled the replacement or upgrade of approximately 100 radiotherapy treatment machines.The Department does not plan to make specific assessments of the number of medical physicists and clinical engineers required in the National Health Service, but is backing the NHS’s Long-Term Workforce Plan with over £2.4 billion of funding over the next five years, to ensure additional education and training places. We are also working with NHS England to reform and modernise the way staff work and harness new technology and innovations to double NHS labour productivity, and to make sure staff can spend more time with patients. Finally, NHS England is also growing the cancer workforce, with 50% more staff in the cancer workforce when compared to 2010.

NHS: Health Professions

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the numbers of (a) Medical Physicists and (b) Clinical Engineers in the NHS Workforce as of 18 March 2024.

Andrew Stephenson: NHS England publishes monthly data on the numbers of National Health Service staff. This data is drawn from the Electronic Staff Record, the human resources system for the NHS, and is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statisticsThe number of healthcare scientists working within the care settings of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering can be found in the NHS Workforce Statistics, November 2023 Staff Group, Care Setting and Level file, within the scientific, therapeutic, and technical staff, or ST&T, tab.

Skin Diseases: Drugs

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of drugs available within the NHS to treat (a) epidermolysis bullosa and (b) other inflammatory skin conditions.

Andrew Stephenson: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) makes independent, evidence-based recommendations for the National Health Service on whether new licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits.Currently, there is one product licensed specifically for epidermolysis bullosa, Filsuvez gel, which contains birch bark extract. The NICE recommends birch bark extract as a clinically and cost effective use of NHS resources, and the NHS is legally required to fund it in line with the NICE’s recommendations. Other healthcare products are also used in the care of epidermolysis bullosa patients. There are a number of licensed and NICE recommended treatments for other inflammatory skin conditions that are now routinely available for NHS patients.

Blood: Contamination

Dame Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who were (a) treated with contaminated blood products and (b) given contaminated blood transfusions by the NHS in Morely and Outwood constituency.

Maria Caulfield: The Department has not made an estimate of the number of people who were treated with contaminated blood products and given contaminated blood transfusions by the National Health Service in the Morely and Outwood constituency.

Autism and Learning Disability: Community Care

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2024 to Question 15040 on Autism and Learning Disability: Community Care, whether the funding flows task and finish group have developed plans to (a) fund support effectively across the health and social care system and (b) improve oversight of expenditure on the Building the Right Support Action Plan.

Maria Caulfield: The aim of the Funding Flows task and finish group was to look at how to improve national oversight of the National Health Service and local authority spend on services and support for people with a learning disability and autistic people who are, or are at risk of being, admitted to mental health inpatient services.The Funding Flows task and finish group has been looking at relevant data currently collected for the NHS and local government, to explore whether it could be brought together to help meet this objective. The final report from the Funding Flows task and finish group will be shared with the Building the Right Support Delivery Board in due course.

Audiology: Health Services

Yasmin Qureshi: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for hospital hearing (a) tests and (b) aid fitting in areas where no community audiology service is commissioned.

Helen Whately: Audiology services are locally commissioned by the 42 integrated care boards (ICBs) across England. Waiting times for audiology assessments are recorded through the national diagnostic activity and waiting times collection. This data is reviewed and monitored monthly across the ICBs and NHS England.NHS England has been working to enable improvement in access to audiology services including through developing an improvement guide, endorsed by the British Audiology Association, which outlines approaches the ICBs can take to address waiting times. NHS England’s National Diagnostics programme has supported implementation of this guide through a series of webinars and case studies to share learning.

Social Services: Veterans

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will have discussions with local authorities on introducing veteran-awareness training for local authority social care teams.

Maria Caulfield: There are no immediate plans to implement specific training for local authority social care teams. Instead, the Principal Social Work Network for Adults across England meet on a regular basis to review all aspects of social work practice and training, underpinned by statutory and policy guidance, which includes the needs of the veteran community. This national network comprises of representatives from all settings including local authorities, National Health Service bodies, the voluntary sector, and Ministry of Defence organisations, and shares an undertaking to develop the competence of the workforce to meet the needs of all vulnerable groups, including veterans and their families and carers.The Government has an ambition to make the United Kingdom the best place in the world to be a veteran by 2028. Veterans are entitled to the same social care and support as the civilian population in England.

Mental Health Services: Veterans

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she has taken to promote Op Courage to veterans.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Op Courage awareness campaign since its launch on 9 January 2024.

Maria Caulfield: In January 2024, NHS England launched a national campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE, and encourage veterans struggling with their mental health to seek help from the service. The campaign, which runs until the end of March 2024, features veterans who have used Op COURAGE and includes a toolkit and a film featuring high-profile veteran JJ Chalmers. Phase two of the campaign activity includes increased social media, broadcasts, and regional press, particularly within areas of higher veteran populations.The Government has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the awareness campaign as Op COURAGE providers have shared anecdotal feedback that there has been a rise in referrals since the launch of this campaign.

Electronic Cigarettes: Retail Trade

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has had discussions with the UK Vaping Industry Association on its proposals for a vape retail licence.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department has not had any discussions with the UK Vaping Industry Association on its proposals for a vape retail license, though we have received written representations on this issue. There are no current plans to introduce a licensing scheme. However, the Government recognises that strong enforcement is needed to tackle underage and illicit vape sales. The new Tobacco and Vapes Bill includes provisions to issue fixed penalty notices for underage tobacco and vape sales. This will complement existing powers that local authorities have to enforce age of sale legislation including fines of up to £2,500, and for the most serious offences, court orders to prevent the offending retailer from opening for a period.In addition, we have committed to increasing investment for our enforcement agencies by £30 million per year, and at Spring Budget the Chancellor announced that the Government will introduce a new duty on vaping products, giving HM Revenue and Customs further powers to minimise fraud, introduce civil and criminal powers to seize illicit products and equipment, and issue penalties.

Stepping Hill Hospital: Repairs and Maintenance

Navendu Mishra: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if her Department will allocate capital funds to carry out urgent estates repairs at Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport.

Andrew Stephenson: Stepping Hill Hospital is run by the Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. The Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (ICB), of which Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is a partner member, has been allocated £158 million in operational capital in 2023/24, totalling to over £500 million in operational capital funding over the spending review period of 2022/23 to 2024/25. This allocation is prioritised by the ICB, according to local needs. In addition to the above funding, the trust received over £42 million in capital funding from national programmes between 2020/21 and 2022/23. Future National Health Service capital funding will be determined at future spending reviews.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Haiti: Development Aid

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department is taking steps to provide additional funding for security in Haiti in the context of recent violence in that country.

David Rutley: The UK is committed to supporting a Haitian-led political solution to the escalating violence in the country, and commends the efforts of Caribbean partners to work towards a return to security and stability. I [Minister Rutley] attended the Caribbean Heads of Government meeting (CARICOM) in Guyana on 26 February and heard their concerns on the security situation in Haiti. The UK Government assists Haiti through our financial contributions to UN agencies and the World Bank. We are increasing support for the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) to secure their borders in response to worsening violence in neighbouring Haiti.

Arms Trade: Export Controls

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department (a) makes an assessment of the potential impact on observance of international humanitarian law and (b) communicates that assessment to the Department for Business and Trade before the grant of an arms licence.

Leo Docherty: The Government operates a robust and thorough assessment of licence applications against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria and we will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with that Criteria. The FCDO advises DBT on the situation in country and the risks this poses with respect to the UK's export control responsibilities and specifically on criterion two which includes respect by that country for international humanitarian law.

Overseas Investment: Fossil Fuels

Dan Carden: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the press release entitled PM announces the UK will end support for fossil fuel sector overseas, published on 12 December 2020, how many fossil fuel-related investments British International Investment has divested away from since that date.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: All investment commitments made by British International Investment (BII) since December 2020 meet the conditions set out in BII's Climate Change Strategy and the UK Government's fossil fuel policy. BII publishes detailed metrics on portfolio-level exposure to carbon-related assets in their publicly available Annual Accounts. This is in line with TCFD-recommended disclosures. The latest data can be found at: https://www.bii.co.uk/annual-review-2022/publication/contents/templates/British_International_Investment_Annual_Review_2022.pdf. BII will release an update to these figures in the 2023 Annual Accounts, to be published later this year.

Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how his Department plans to use the additional £10 million in aid funding for the Occupied Palestinian Territories to help tackle immediate humanitarian needs in Gaza.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The additional £10 million of funding for the Occupied Palestinian Territories announced by the Foreign Secretary on 13 March includes £5 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) Pooled Fund, core relief items, including 3,300 tents, and £3.5 million to UNICEF.This brings total UK support to over £100 million this financial year, including 150 tonnes of UK aid, including more than 13,000 blankets and 840 family-sized tents, which entered Gaza on the 13 March, and a full field hospital, provided by UK Aid funding to UK-Med, which is arriving in Gaza from Manchester.

Vladimir Kara-Murza

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to secure the release of Vladimir Kara-Murza.

Leo Docherty: The Government has consistently condemned Vladimir Kara-Murza's politically motivated conviction and called for his release since his arrest. The Foreign Secretary met Mr Kara-Murza's wife and mother on 1 March to discuss our approach. We continue to call for his immediate release on humanitarian grounds for urgent medical treatment. We continue to raise his case with the Russian authorities at every available opportunity, including at ambassadorial-level, and in multilateral fora, most recently at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and UN Human Rights Council. The FCDO sanctioned 11 individuals in response to his sentencing and appeal, as well as two individuals involved in his earlier poisoning.

Belarus and Russia: Detainees

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how many UK nationals are detained in (a) Russia and (b) Belarus; and what consular support is provided to them.

Leo Docherty: The FCDO is currently aware of fewer than 5 British nationals detained in Russia, and are providing consular assistance. According to our records, there are currently no British nationals detained in Belarus. However, British nationals are not obliged to inform the FCDO of their detention. We provide tailored consular assistance in line with our public guidance, found on Gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/arrested-or-detained-abroad), which sets out the support British nationals can expect to receive. This can include meeting with the detainee; offering support to their family; providing a list of English-speaking lawyers and basic information about the local system in the form of our local prisoner pack; facilitating the transfer of funds for prison comforts; and raising concerns with the local authorities where the detainee is not treated in line with internationally-accepted standards.

Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how the UK's (a) field hospital and (b) other aid to Gaza will be coordinated with (i) local authorities and (ii) international organisations to ensure effective (A) delivery and (B) operation.

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to monitor the effectiveness of the (a) UK-funded field hospital and (b) aid delivery in Gaza.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: A full UK field hospital run by UK-Med has also arrived in Gaza and is now operational and providing life-saving care.This facility can be adapted according to needs on the ground and usually includes a pharmacy, triage area, major injuries and resuscitation unit, and maternity care tent. This facility will be able to treat more than 100 patients a day. It will be staffed by both local health workers and international medics, including many from the UK, on the UK-Med Register.

UNRWA: Finance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what criteria he will use to decide whether to resume funding to UNRWA.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We are aware that the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services has released an interim report to the UN Secretary-General. We are pressing Catherine Colonna to produce a rapid interim report on the investigation into UNRWA's neutrality.Any future funding decisions will be taken after UNRWA's review has concluded.We want UNRWA to give detailed undertakings about changes in personnel, policy and precedents to ensure this can never happen again. We are working with allies to try to bring this situation to a rapid conclusion - not least because UNRWA have a vital role to play in providing aid and services in Gaza and the wider region.

Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to help ensure the safety of (a) international and (b) UK staff operating the UK-funded field hospital in Gaza.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have underlined the need for Israel to take all possible measures to ensure the safety of medical personnel and facilities.We need a humanitarian pause now to allow humanitarian actors and Gazans to operate and move safely, and enable hostages to be released.We need Israel to ensure effective systems to guarantee the safety of aid convoys, humanitarian operations and IDP returns, and facilitate access.Israel must ensure effective deconfliction in Gaza, ensure there are effective systems to guarantee the safety of aid convoys and humanitarian operations, and ensure the UN has the people, vehicles, equipment and fuel to distribute aid safely across Gaza.

Uganda: Christianity

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to help support persecuted Christians in Uganda.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We have no evidence of state persecution of Christians based on religious belief in Uganda. However, Uganda faces a terrorist threat, including from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), or Islamic State DRC, which does target Christians, and has carried out attacks against civilians in Uganda in recent years, notably an attack on a school in Mpondwe on 16 June 2023, killing more than 40 people. I condemned this abhorrent attack in the strongest possible terms at the time. The British High Commission remains in close contact with Ugandan security services, who continue to conduct operations against the ADF.

Israel: Arms Trade

Ms Anum Qaisar: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the statement by Amnesty International UK and other NGOs entitled UK Groups say Government’s Public Position on Weapons Licences to Israel is at odds with what the Government has Admitted in Litigation, and Calls for an Explanation, as Rafah Braces for Further Atrocities, published on 28 February 2024.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Government operates a robust and thorough assessment of licence applications against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, and we will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with those Criteria. We regularly publish data on export licensing decisions on the dedicated gov.uk site: [https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data].

India: Nationality

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act in India.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: We trust the Government of India will provide reassurances to those expressing concern about the potential impact of the Citizenship Amendment Act. We have a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India, and we discuss all elements of our relationship.

Russia: Sanctions

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what plans he has to (a) make an assessment of the adequacy of the Navalny list and (b) review further sanctions on Russia.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: The United Kingdom consistently condemned Mr Navalny's politically motivated sentencing, called for his immediate and unconditional release and expressed our grave concern for his welfare.Over 2020 and 2021, the UK sanctioned 13 individuals and one entity responsible for his poisoning. The UK has also sanctioned six individuals heading up the penal colony where Alexei Navalny died after years of mistreatment by the Russian authorities on 21 February 2024. Whilst we do not comment on potential future designations, the UK has designated the majority of individuals on both the original Navalny 35 list, and the wider Anti-Corruption Foundation list.The UK remains steadfast in our support to Ukraine. Together with our international partners, we have implemented the most severe package of sanctions ever imposed on a major economy. The UK alone has sanctioned 2,000 individuals and entities under the Russia sanctions regime. Most recently, on 22 February a new package of over 50 UK designations targeted Russia's efforts to circumvent sanctions on its war machine and major revenue sources, demonstrating the UK's unwavering support for Ukraine for as long as it takes.

Ukraine: Reconstruction

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent discussions he has had with his (a) European and (b) US counterparts on (i) seizing and (ii) re-purposing Russian state assets to support the financing of Ukraine's reconstruction.

David Rutley: The Government is discussing with our partners how to use immobilised assets to support Ukraine. G7 Leaders have tasked Ministries to continue working on these issues and to report back ahead of the Leaders' Summit in June. We will update the House as this develops, noting it would not be appropriate to offer a running commentary on those discussions.

Falkland Islands: Official Visits

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Argentine Foreign Ministry's reaction to the the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the Falkland Islands in February 2024.

David Rutley: The UK position and ongoing support for the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination remains unchanged. As the Foreign Secretary made clear on his recent visit to the Falkland Islands and in his meeting with Argentine Foreign Minister Mondino at the G20 in February, as long as the Islanders wish to remain part of the UK family, there can be no discussions on sovereignty. At their meeting on 17 January, the Foreign Secretary and President Milei discussed how to enhance UK-Argentina relations through greater cooperation on areas of mutual interest including trade, education, culture and enhancing people to people links. On the Falkland Islands, the Foreign Secretary and President Milei said they would agree to disagree, and do so politely.

Manuel Guerrero

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had discussions with his Qatari counterpart on the case of Manuel Guerrero; and what steps he is taking to ensure Mr Guerrero has access to medical treatment.

David Rutley: Supporting the welfare of British nationals detained overseas is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and where there are concerns that an individual's needs are not being met, with their consent, we will raise this with the relevant authorities. Without consent, we are unable to provide comment on consular cases in line with relevant UK data protection legislation, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office/about/personal-information-charter.

British Indian Ocean Territory: Sovereignty

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, when he last held discussions with representatives of the Chagossian community (a) in and (b) outside of the UK on the future of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

David Rutley: UK Government ministers and officials met Chagossian groups representing communities in the UK, Mauritius and the Seychelles in February, May and October 2023 to update on the progress of negotiations. We will continue to update Chagossian groups as the negotiations progress.

Arms Trade: Export Controls

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the risk of a state not complying with orders from international courts in the decision process for the grant of an arms licence.

Leo Docherty: The Government takes its defence export responsibilities extremely seriously and operates some of the most robust export controls in the world. Licence applications are assessed against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria and we will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with that Criteria.

Arms Trade: Export Controls

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what account of the risk of atrocity crimes being committed by states his Department takes in considering applications for licences for the export of arms to such states.

Leo Docherty: All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria, which includes Criterion 2, covering respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination, as well as respect by that country for international humanitarian law.

Arms Trade: Export Controls

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what account of ongoing geopolitical fragility his Department takes in considering applications for licences for the export of arms to states in sensitive areas.

Leo Docherty: The Strategic Export Licensing Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework for export licence applications and require us to think hard about the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. We consider a range of factors, including examining the political and security conditions in the destination country, the nature of the equipment to be exported, the organisation or unit which will ultimately be the user of the equipment, and all available information about how similar equipment has been used in the past and how it is likely to be used in the future. We can and do respond quickly and flexibly to changing or fluid international situations. We take the principles of responsible export control set out in the Criteria incredibly seriously.

International Law: Arms Trade

Brendan O'Hara: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a scrutiny body within his Department that is tasked with assessing the consequences of individual arms licences on the Government's international legal obligations.

Leo Docherty: The Government takes its defence export responsibilities extremely seriously and operates some of the most robust export controls in the world. We examine each new application on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. The Criteria maintain the UK's high standards on counter proliferation and give effect to the UK's international obligations and commitments.

Elections: Subversion

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his international partners on taking steps to enhance resilience to hostile state threats to elections taking place in 2024.

Leo Docherty: The UK Government is committed to working with international partners to build our collective electoral resilience, including from hostile state actors. The Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, discussed election resilience with international partners at the Summit for Democracy in Seoul on 18-20 March. At the Munich Security Conference attended by the Foreign Secretary in February, we issued a joint statement with Canada and the US to increase international coordination efforts to counter foreign state information manipulation that seeks to undermine our democracies. FCDO officials have engaged with 5EYES, G7 and European partners, including Austria, Romania, and Moldova to share best practice and identify opportunities for future collaboration on election resilience.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to support a lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Leo Docherty: I [Minister Docherty] visited Yerevan and Baku in November 2023. I underlined to President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan the UK's support for negotiations to conclude a peace settlement; meaningful direct dialogue is the only way to secure stability and security for the region. The UK welcomed the meeting between President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan in Munich on 17 February and that between Foreign Ministers Mirzoyan and Bayramov in Berlin on 28 - 29 February. We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue negotiations in order to finalise a lasting peace agreement and we stand ready to support them in doing so.

Finland: Russia

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of recent comments by the President Putin on the potential placement of Russian forces on the Russian-Finnish border.

Leo Docherty: President Putin's comments on the potential placement of Russian forces on the Russian-Finnish border are intended to intimidate Finland and its NATO allies. Such comments will not achieve their intended effect; we will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion. The UK strongly welcomes both Finland and Sweden joining NATO, recognises the alliance is stronger following their accession, and supports NATO's open door policy.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Members

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if the Secretary of State will hold briefing sessions for Members of Parliament.

David Rutley: The Foreign Secretary remains fully committed to ongoing engagement with Parliament. He, Ministers and FCDO officials routinely meet with parliamentarians to brief them on relevant topics, and we will consider future briefing sessions for parliamentarians on topical events as needed.

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to counter the work of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

David Rutley: The Foreign Secretary has been clear that the malign activity of the Iranian regime, including that of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is unacceptable. We have already sanctioned more than 400 Iranian individuals and entities, including the IRGC in its entirety - for roles in weapons proliferation, regional conflicts, human rights violations and threats to UK based individuals. In February, we utilised our new Iran sanctions regime to designate key units within the IRGC-QF and the Deputy Commander responsible for supporting or enabling the Houthi's hostile activity in the region. In January, the UK sanctioned IRGC officials responsible for targeting journalists in the UK.We will continue to work tirelessly across government and with our international partners to deter Iran's, and the IRGC's, malign activity - including through holding Iran to account for breaches of maritime security; addressing weapons proliferation to non-state actors; and maintaining our permanent defence presence in the region.

Colombia: Peace Negotiations

Zarah Sultana: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department plans to take at the UN Security Council as the penholder for Colombia’s 2016 peace agreement following the Security Council visit to that country.

David Rutley: In February, the UK jointly led the third UN Security Council (UNSC) visit to Colombia in support of the 2016 peace process. The Council met with President Petro and the Colombian High Commissioner for Peace to discuss progress and challenges for implementation of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement and the Government's efforts to broaden peace through dialogue with armed groups. The Council discussed the dialogue and temporary bilateral ceasefire with the Estado Mayor Central (EMC) which it has indicated a willingness to consider mandating the UN to monitor and verify. Through our role as penholder at the UN Security Council (UNSC), the UK will continue to work closely with international partners in support of the peace process in Colombia.

Development Aid

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much overseas development aid has been paid by his Department (a) directly and (b) indirectly to consultancies in each year since 2019.

David Rutley: The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Falkland Islands: Ports

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2024 to Question 18074 on Falkland Islands: Ports, whether the Falkland Islands Government sought advice from his Department prior to the awarding of a contract to Harland & Wolff to support delivery of a port facility.

David Rutley: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office played no role in Harland & Wolff being named as the preferred bidder for the delivery of a new port facility in Stanley. Further to my answer of 15 March 2024 to written PQ 18074, any potential redevelopment of the port facility in Stanley is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government and the awarding of contracts for the redevelopment of the port is a commercial matter between the Falkland Islands Government and the companies involved.

Tibet: Buddhism

Jim Shannon: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make it his policy to support religious self-governance for Tibetan Buddhists.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan: The freedom to practice, change or share one's faith or belief without discrimination is a human right that all people, including Tibetan Buddhists, should enjoy. The UK Government will continue to do all that we can to encourage freedoms of religious and cultural expression in Tibet and across China. For example, we view the appointment of the next Dalai Lama as a matter for the relevant religious authorities to decide in line with those freedoms of religion and belief.The UK Government consistently raises human rights issues with the Chinese authorities - the Foreign Secretary did so in February with China's Foreign Minister. We also regularly raise Tibet in multilateral fora, for example, in January at China's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with Qatar on ending hostilities in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: We are calling for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out, then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life. This remains the focus of all our diplomatic effort.Vital elements for a lasting peace include:• the release of all hostages;• the formation of a new Palestinian Government for the West Bank and Gaza, accompanied by an international support package;• removing Hamas's capacity to launch attacks against Israel;• Hamas no longer being in charge of Gaza; and,• a political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.The Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister have reiterated these messages in their contacts with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli political leaders, as well as leaders in Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon in recent weeks.We remain in close contact with Qatari partners on all aspects of the conflict. The Foreign Secretary spoke to HE Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Qatari Minister of state on 13 March in Cyprus to discuss advancing aid to Gaza, and also met with the HE Qatari Foreign Minister and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on 7 March to discuss the conflict in Gaza. The Foreign secretary also met HE Sheikh Mohammed and the Qatari Minister of International Cooperation HE Lolwah Rashid Al-Khater during his visit to Doha on 25 January and announced the first UK-Qatar joint consignment of aid to Gaza.

Arctic: Defence

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to secure the UK's interests in the High North.

David Rutley: The Government's Arctic Policy Framework, Looking North: The UK and the Arctic, complemented by the UK's Defence Contribution in the High North, set out the UK's aspirations for a safe, secure and peaceful region. The Government collaborates closely with regional partners to protect the environment, promote sustainable prosperity and ensure long-term security and stability, and recently announced new funding for our world-class science engagement in the Arctic.

Commonwealth: HIV Infection

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to help encourage the repeal of HIV specific laws in the 20 jurisdictions in the Commonwealth that still have them.

Florence Eshalomi: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department is providing support to (a) the HIV Justice Network and (b) other organisations working to repeal HIV-specific laws globally.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: Addressing stigma, discrimination and criminalisation is critical to ensuring equality of access to HIV prevention, testing and treatment services and to achieving progress in the global HIV response.The UK is a champion of human rights around the world and we are committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The UK's network of over 280 Diplomatic Missions monitor human rights in host countries.At the UN High Level Meeting on HIV in June 2021, the UK worked hard to secure the highest level of commitment from our global partners and garner support for the ambitious, rights-based Global AIDS Strategy 2021-2026, so the world has the best chance of meeting the 2030 goal to end AIDS. We also endorse the Global Fund's 2023-2028 Strategy, with a focus on addressing inequities and structural drivers of HIV infection and AIDS-related deaths including barriers to services due to stigma, discrimination and criminalisation.Our funding to the Robert Carr Fund and to UNAIDS helps to support legal and policy reform to combat stigma, discrimination and criminalisation, and to improve access to HIV services for those most at risk, as well as supporting civil society and grassroots organisations to challenge harmful policies and attitudes that exclude minorities and put them at greater risk of HIV infection and increase access to services for these groups.

Egypt: Gaza

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent discussions he has had with aid agencies on the Rafah crossing border with Egypt.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We are are working to get aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air, funding multiple implementing partners including UN agencies and international and UK NGOs.There is ongoing ministerial engagement with partners. The Foreign Secretary has also appointed a Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, who is based in the region and is working intensively to address the blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.The Foreign Secretary has discussed the urgency of getting significantly more aid into Gaza with Prime Minister Netanyahu. He reiterated the need for Israel to open more crossing points into Gaza, for Nitzana and Kerem Shalom to be open for longer, and for Israel to support the UN to distribute aid effectively across the whole of Gaza.

Gaza: Malnutrition

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent steps his Department has taken to help tackle starvation and malnutrition on the Gaza strip.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: Palestinians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis. It is crucial that we keep the flow of aid moving into Gaza to end the suffering.The Foreign Secretary has announced a further £10 million in aid funding for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), bringing the total spend to over £100 million this financial year.We are working with our partners to get aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air. This includes supporting the United Nations World Food Programme to deliver a new humanitarian land corridor from Jordan into Gaza; air-dropping life-saving food and medicines directly to the Tal Al-Hawa hospital in northern Gaza in conjunction with Jordan;, and, with Cyprus, the US, UAE and others, we will support the delivery of humanitarian aid by sea to a new temporary US military pier in Gaza, via a maritime corridor from Cyprus. As well as 150 tonnes of UK aid that entered Gaza 13th March, which included tents and hygiene supplies.We are calling on Israel to increase access for aid through land routes and fully open Ashdod Port, scale up the Jordan corridor with a streamlined screening and delivery process, open a crossing in northern Gaza (Karni, Erez or a new crossing point), fully open Ashdod Port for aid delivery and increase screening capacity at Kerem Shalom and Nitzana to seven days a week and extended hours.

Corruption

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, how much was (a) allocated to and (b) spent by each (i) unit and (ii) project funded by his Department's UK Action Against Corruption programme in each financial year from 7 December 2009 to 31 March 2023.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: I refer the honourable Member to the answer to Question 12219 given on 8 February 2024.The budget and spend on the UK Action to Support Developing Countries Fighting Corruption Programme are provided in the below table. This includes budget and spend in previous iterations of the Programme.Financial YearNational Crime AgencyCrown Prosecution AgencyCity of London Police*Metropolitan Police Service*UK Central Authority2009/10 Budget-----2009/10 Spend£128,933.00-£316,271.68£243,000.00-2010/11 Budget-----2010/11 Spend£28,059.00£4,855.00£889,816.90£701,969.30-2011/12 Budget-----2011/12 Spend-£132,713.70£900,205.38£759,999.83-2012/13 Budget-----2012/13 Spend£211,500.00£140,784.47£1,122,820.87£938,476.84-2013/14 Budget-----2013/14 Spend£201,984.25£169,834.41£1,318,601.56£1,168,001.00-2014/15 Budget-----2014/15 Spend£419,512.99£183,043.61£1,314,870.58£1,352,288.50-2015/16 Budget£2,824,469.00£194,887.00£655,218.00£219,462.00-2015/16 Spend£1,928,332.37£215,639.41£612,753.00£108,953.74-2016/17 Budget£3,912,796.00£231,748.00£404,426.00--2016/17 Spend£2,748,325.44£216,546.87£455,877.74--2017/18 Budget£4,361,241.00£244,761.00£240,000.00--2017/18 Spend£3,875,640.69£261,205.19£191,936.82--2018/19 Budget£4,443,003.00£272,931.00£180,700.00--2018/19 Spend£4,869,794.62£252,941.12£180,471.24--2019/20 Budget£4,610,853.00£272,931.00£170,000.00--2019/20 Spend£4,230,454.11£300,146.87£233,218.28--2020/21 Budget£5,656,027.00£317,000.00£117,943.00 (Budget for FY 2020/21 and 2021/22)-£254,788.002020/21 Spend£5,538,861.87£313,544.41£36,444.55-£180,032.772021/22 Budget£5,023,000.00£213,000.00£117,943.00 (Budget for FY 2020/21 and 2021/22)-£65,608.002021/22 Spend£4,699,253.60£213,000.00£18,643.20-£54,776.102022/23 Budget£4,764,774.00£213,000.00---2022/23 Spend£5,006,953.80£213,000.00---*The Metropolitan Police Service Proceeds of Corruption Team (POCU) and the work of the City of London Police Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit (OACU) were merged with the National Crime Agency in 2015. OACU funding continued to complete legacy cases until 2021/22. The UK Central Authority funding began in 2020 but then was cut as a result of Covid budget priorities.

Europe: Diplomatic Service

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which Ambassadors and High Commissioners to (a) countries and (b) other institutions in Europe are due to be replaced in 2024.

David Rutley: he FCDO publishes in the public domain announcements of changes to HM Ambassadors (HMA) and High Commissioners (HC). In 2024, we have so far announced the following changes to our posts in Europe:Role and start date:Individual:HMA Pristina (Kosovo), March 2024Jonathan HargreavesHMA Lisbon (Portugal), January 2024Lisa BandariGovernor Gibraltar, June 2024Lieutenant General Sir Ben BathurstHMA Brussels (Belgium), July 2024Anne SherriffHMA Madrid (Spain), August 2024Alex EllisHMA Helsinki (Finland), September 2024Laura DaviesHMA Vilnius (Lithuania), September 2024Liz BoylesIn addition, we expect a small number of additional announcements to be made, following appropriate recruitment and approval processes concluding.

South Georgia: Avian Influenza

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what information his Department holds on the spread of avian influenza in South Georgia; and whether his Department is taking steps to implement biosecurity measures to help prevent the further spread of avian influenza.

David Rutley: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in gentoo and king penguins, brown skua, kelp gul, wandering albatross, elephant seals and Antarctic fur seals on South Georgia. The effects appear to be localised. The FCDO is working to support the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI), alongside the British Antarctic Survey, to put in place strict biosecurity procedures and mitigation measures, including enhanced cleaning of clothing and equipment, and to monitor for further spread.

Department for Education

Schools: Repairs and Maintenance

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support smaller responsible bodies to apply for the Condition Improvement Fund where they have schools in need of repair works.

Damian Hinds: The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. This is informed by consistent data on the condition of the school estate. The department also provide extensive guidance on effective management of school buildings, including through Good Estates Management for Schools. The department publishes detailed guidelines in the Information for Applicants document on GOV.UK each round to support school leaders, staff, and governing bodies at those academies, sixth form colleges and voluntary aided schools eligible to apply for the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). This includes tips on how to prepare a good CIF application and advice about the types of evidence applicants should provide to support a bid for different types of building projects, along with an application checklist. This includes information about the services that responsible bodies can seek from technical advisory companies. For CIF 2024/25, the department also produced a recorded overview made available to all applicants before they completed their bids. Prior to the 2024/25 round opening to applicants, the CIF team invited sessions with eligible responsible bodies who had either made no recent applications or had been repeatedly unsuccessful with bids. We plan to offer further meetings to additional CIF eligible trusts and providers following the outcome of the 2024/25 round this spring.

Hall Road Academy: Construction

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when building work is planned to start at Hall Road Academy in Kingston upon Hull.

Damian Hinds: Hall Road Academy was announced in December 2022 as part of Round 4 of the School Rebuilding Programme. The project will commence before April 2025.

Special Educational Needs: Hertfordshire

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March to Question 17451 on Special Educational Needs: Finance, whether Hertfordshire County Council was one of the local authorities from which her Department received a high-quality application through the most recent special free schools application round.

Damian Hinds: The department received a total of 85 applications from local authorities to open a special free school in a very competitive application round, including an application from Hertfordshire County Council. The department plans to select a further 15 successful applications. This will remain a competitive process. This approach means we can move quickly to appoint trusts to run these schools. The department plans to announce those local authorities that have been successful for the additional special free schools later this year.

Music: Workplace Pensions

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department has committed to cover the increase in employer contribution rates for Music Hubs this academic year.

Damian Hinds: The department has secured £1.25 billion to support eligible settings with the increased Teachers’ Pension Scheme employer contribution rate in the 2024/25 financial year. This includes additional funding of £9.3 million to local authorities for their centrally employed teachers, including those employed in local authority based music hubs.The Teachers’ Pension Employer Contribution Grant 2024 will provide funding to local authorities in respect of teachers categorised as centrally employed on the schools workforce census 2023. The department expects local authority based music hub teachers to be recorded on the census.The department has also committed to providing funding to cover the increase in employer contribution rates for existing non local authority hubs for the current academic year (until August 2024), and departmental officials are working to agree the precise amount. Further details, including funding rates and allocations, will be provided soon.

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education: Small Businesses

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education Route Panel members are SMEs.

Robert Halfon: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the Honourable Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Pre-school Education and Primary Education: Schools

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average time is for her Department to approve mergers between pre-schools and primary schools; what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce that time and (b) help ensure (i) safeguarding during transition and (ii) continuity of funding for childcare; and how many mergers between pre-schools and primary schools her Department has approved in the last 12 months.

David Johnston: Local authorities are responsible for making decisions on statutory proposals to alter the age range of maintained schools, including by the addition of a nursery. Academies wishing to alter their age range must submit an application for a significant change to the department. In the last 12 months, the department received over 100 significant change applications to change the age range at an academy. The current data collection does not break this down further to enable the department to provide information on the number of schools that have requested to change their age range to add provision for nursery age children. The department does not collect data on the average length of time taken to reach a decision as applications can differ in their complexity. The department has published revised guidance which will come into effect from the end of April 2024. The guidance sets out an updated application process that will allow low risk changes to progress to a decision more quickly following the necessary checks, which will streamline the application process. When implemented, the department will also be introducing a new data collection system to track application information in more detail. With regards to safeguarding, schools must continue to have regard to the statutory guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, which can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64f0a68ea78c5f000dc6f3b2/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2023.pdf. All early years settings must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework throughout any transition period. Local authorities remain responsible for the continuation of funding, as they are required to ensure sufficiency of childcare places in their areas. Early years entitlements funding for children in nursery classes up to reception age would continue until those children moved into reception.

Schools: Buildings

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Department has made of the effectiveness of the Capital Advisers’ Programme.

Damian Hinds: The department is committed to supporting trusts to increase their estate management capability and practice. The Capital Advisers Programme is designed to help academy trusts increase their estate management capability and improve practice, by offering bespoke best practice recommendations from capital advisers, in line with the Good Estate Management for Schools guidance. The programme has completed delivery of 3 phases: pilot (2021/2022), pilot revisits (2022) and part 1 (2022/2023). Part 2 is currently in delivery. The department assesses the benefit of the programme after each phase and publishes these evaluations. The evaluation reports are available to view in the links below:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1086666/CAP_Pilot_Evaluation_Report_30June22.pdf, and https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65536ce7019bd600149f1ff9/Capital_Advisers_Programme_revisits_and_part_1_evaluation.pdf.

Students: Cost of Living

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help support postgraduate students with the cost of living.

Robert Halfon: The government introduced postgraduate loans as a contribution to the cost of postgraduate level study.The maximum loan available has continued to increase each year, by 2.8% for the current 2023/24 academic year, with a further 2.5% increase announced for 2024/25.Decisions on student finance have had to be taken to ensure the system remains financially sustainable and the costs of higher education (HE) are shared fairly between students and taxpayers, not all of whom have benefited from going to university.Overall, support to households to help with the high cost of living is worth £94 billion over 2022/23 to 2024/25, an average of £3,300 per UK household. The government believes this will ease the pressure on family budgets and will in turn enable many families to provide additional support to their children in HE to help them meet increased living costs.Students in private rented accommodation who are provided energy through a commercial entity may also benefit from the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) which provides a baseline discount on energy bills for non-domestic users locked into high fixed price tariffs. Any non-domestic user who benefits from the EBDS must ensure the benefit is passed through to the end user, such as students in private rented accommodation. The EBDS runs for 12 months from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.

Schools: Repairs and Maintenance

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to make an assessment of the appropriateness of allocating maintenance funding directly to smaller responsible bodies.

Damian Hinds: The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. This is informed by consistent data on the condition of the school estate. The department also provide extensive guidance on effective management of school buildings, including through Good Estates Management for Schools.Local authorities, larger multi-academy trusts (MATs) and larger voluntary-aided (VA) school bodies receive an annual school condition allocation (SCA) to invest in priorities across the schools for which they are responsible. Smaller academy trusts and single academy trusts, smaller VA bodies and sixth-form colleges are instead able to bid into the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF).To be eligible to receive direct SCA for the 2023/24 financial year, MATs and VA bodies must have met two principal criteria. The MAT or VA body must have had 5 or more open schools at the start of September 2022, and those open schools (or their predecessor schools) must have had at least 3,000 pupils counted in the spring 2022 census, or the 2021 to 2022 individualised learner record.School level allocations for both SCA and CIF eligible schools are calculated using the same formula, to ensure parity. Whilst the allocations for schools in SCA eligible responsible bodies are totalled to form a direct allocation for the responsible body, the allocations for CIF eligible schools and sixth form colleges are combined to form the CIF fund, into which they can bid. This is to ensure that schools and sixth form colleges in smaller responsible bodies, which are CIF eligible, have the opportunity to access sufficient funding to complete projects to improve condition.Were CIF eligible responsible bodies given direct allocations, they would, in most cases, attract substantially less funding than SCA eligible responsible bodies, as the allocation formula is based on pupil numbers. As a result, direct allocations might not be sufficient for these responsible bodies to complete the projects they require, which is why they are instead given access to CIF.The department keeps the methodology for allocating condition funding under review.

Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many standards the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education has retired in the last two years; and for what reason those standards were retired.

Robert Halfon: This is a matter for the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. I have asked its Chief Executive, Jennifer Coupland, to write to the Honourable Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Schools: Asbestos

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2023 to Question 22 on Schools: Asbestos, what information her Department holds on levels of asbestos in schools in the North East region.

Damian Hinds: Well-maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the department to support a high-quality education for all children. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme is transforming poor condition buildings at over 500 schools. ​​​It is the responsibility of those who run schools, such as academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies, to manage the safety and maintenance of their buildings. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates schools’ compliance with legislation to manage their asbestos safely. The department follows the HSE’s advice that, provided asbestos containing materials are in good condition, and unlikely to be disturbed, it is generally safest to manage them in place. Where asbestos containing materials are likely to be disturbed by maintenance works or daily use of the building, and cannot be easily protected, schools should have them removed. The Asbestos Management Assurance Process (AMAP) was a survey launched by the department in March 2018 to understand the steps schools and those responsible for their estate were taking to manage asbestos. The data collected from this survey was published in 2019, and is accessible at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f28153ed3bf7f1b17facda7/AMAP_Report_2019.pdf. Information on how schools are managing asbestos is now being collected via the department’s Condition Data Collection 2 (CDC2) programme, which will complete in 2026, and is expected to cover all state-funded schools.

Priority School Building Programme

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether all contracts for phase 2 of the Priority School Building Programme have now been awarded.

Damian Hinds: Contracts have been awarded for 271 out of 272 schools in phase two of the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP2).

Educational Institutions: Concrete

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for completing RAAC remedial works in all (a) schools and (b) colleges.

Damian Hinds: Well-maintained, safe school buildings are a priority for the department to support a high-quality education for all children. The department has allocated over £15 billion since 2015 for keeping schools safe and operational, including £1.8 billion in the 2023/24 financial year. In addition, the School Rebuilding Programme is transforming poor condition buildings at over 500 schools. The government is funding the removal of RAAC present in schools and colleges either through grants, or through the school rebuilding programme. A list of education settings with confirmed RAAC and the funding route to remove RAAC was published on 8 February, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-raac-management-information. The longer-term requirements of each school or college will vary depending on the extent of the issue and nature and design of the buildings. Permanently removing RAAC may involve refurbishment of existing buildings or rebuilding affected buildings. For schools joining the School Rebuilding Programme, schools will be prioritised for delivery according to the condition need of their buildings, readiness to proceed, and efficiency of delivery. For schools and colleges receiving grants, we are working with the responsible bodies to support them through the grants process as they undertake the buildings works to remove RAAC permanently. In some cases, this may involve undertaking technical assessments to inform the design of building works and in other cases the removal or RAAC is already underway and will be completed in the coming months. The department is working with responsible bodies to take forward this work as quickly as possible.

Universities: Admissions

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of planned reforms to university admissions on the (a) number and (b) demographic of students applying to university.

Robert Halfon: Higher education (HE) providers are autonomous organisations responsible for their own admissions decisions. The government takes a close interest in ensuring that the HE admissions system is fair and works well for students.UCAS have reformed the academic reference for 2024 HE admissions to provide clarity and improve fairness for applicants. UCAS have also consulted on reform of the applicant personal statement to simplify the process and ensure that universities hear from applicants in their own words.The department will continue to work with UCAS and sector bodies to improve transparency of the university admissions process, enhance student choice, and to improve fairness for applicants of all backgrounds.

Overseas Students

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of trends in the number of international students on higher education institutions.

Robert Halfon: The government keeps under review the number of international students attending our universities. The government is proud of the UK’s world class higher education (HE) sector and recognises the contribution made by international students to our universities. The department is proud to have met its international student recruitment ambition, as set out in the International Education Strategy in each of the past two years. The Office for Students (OfS), as the independent regulator of HE in England, is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the sustainability of HE providers. The department works closely with the OfS to understand the impact of international student recruitment.​

Childcare

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the net increase in the number of (a) Ofsted-registered childcare places suitable for children aged two or under, (b) Ofsted-registered childcare places suitable for children aged over two and (c) Ofsted-registered childcare places, suitable for delivery of the government’s planned increase in childcare entitlements from 1 April 2024 was in each month since March 2023, broken down by local authority.

David Johnston: This is a matter for His Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Family Conciliation Services

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2024 to Question 17775 on Family Conciliation Services, for what reason her Department does not monitor the number of therapists offering reunification therapy services in England and Wales who help with cases of family breakdown.

David Johnston: This is not a matter for the Department for Education, therefore, the department does not collect this data.

Mathematics: Primary Education

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the number of primary school children meeting expected standards in maths.

Damian Hinds: Since 2010, the department has overseen a transformation in the way mathematics is taught in schools, based on the best available international evidence. Reform of the mathematics curriculum and testing system was accompanied by the introduction of a national network of 40 Maths Hubs in 2014 and overseen by the National Centre of Excellence in Teaching Mathematics, to help local schools improve the quality of their teaching.Maths Hubs deliver our Teaching for Mastery programme, which is bringing teaching practice from high performing East Asian jurisdictions to primary and secondary schools across England. The programme aims to reach 75% of primary schools by 2025. Maths Hubs also run the Mastering Number programme which helps children in the first years of primary school master the basics of arithmetic, including number bonds and times tables.The percentage of pupils meeting the key stage 2 expected standard in mathematics in the 2022/23 academic year was 73%, up from 71% in 2021/22. Pre-pandemic, England achieved its highest ever mathematics score in the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study international test for year 5 pupils. Although the study was affected by the pandemic, analysis of the Programme for International Student Assessment 2022 results for 15 year olds showed that England had risen in the rankings, from seventeenth for mathematics in 2018, to eleventh. Ofsted recently found a “resounding, positive shift in primary mathematics education”.All eligible year 4 pupils in England are required to take the Multiplication Table Check, which is an on screen assessment testing pupils' ability to fluently recall their knowledge of multiplication tables up to 12x12. 29% of eligible children scored full marks in 2023, up from 27% in 2022, and the average attainment score in 2023 was 20.2, up from 19.8 in 2022.The department has introduced a new national professional qualification (NPQ) in Leading Primary Mathematics (LPM) to help schools provide pupils with the foundational mathematics knowledge and skills they need for future attainment and employment. The NPQ LPM enables teachers and leaders to draw upon the best available evidence on how to teach mathematics to primary pupils. The NPQ is aimed at those who already have a secure understanding of mastery approaches and will build their leadership capability to enable them to improve mastery teaching of mathematics across a school.

English Language and Mathematics: Education

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure Education Investment Areas are meeting their targets of (a) helping 90% of pupils meet the expected standard in (i) reading, (ii) writing and (iii) maths combined at key stage 2 and (b) increasing the GCSE average grade at key stage 4 in English language and maths from 4.5 to 5.

Damian Hinds: In all 55 Education Investment Areas, the department is taking steps to support underperforming schools to make necessary improvements, build trust capacity and improve digital connectivity, with the purpose of helping 90% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at key stage 2, and increasing the GCSE average grade at key stage 4 in English language and mathematics from 4.5 to 5 by 2030. This includes access to up to £86 million in Trust Capacity Funding to support strong multi-academy trusts to expand into these areas, up to £200 million to upgrade schools that fall below the department’s Wi-Fi connectivity standards, and an extra £3000 after tax per year to mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers working in disadvantaged schools.

Vocational Guidance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with career advice services to help ensure that young people leaving school can move into a (a) job and (b) apprenticeship.

Robert Halfon: In October 2023, the department launched a new website called Skills for Careers that provides a single digital front door to information about skills training options and careers. From Skills for Careers, users are guided through government’s skills offer from apprenticeships to Skills Bootcamps, A levels to Multiply. The website provides an overview of each option, along with information about writing job applications and CVs. The Skill for Life website can be found here: https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/skills-for-life.The government has strengthened legislation to ensure all secondary pupils have access to independent and impartial careers guidance, and pupils in years 8-13 have at least six opportunities to hear directly from providers of technical education and apprenticeships.Since September 2012, schools have had a statutory duty to secure independent careers guidance. For pupils of compulsory school age, this must include information on the full range of 16-18 education and training options, including apprenticeships.The Careers and Enterprise Company will ensure that Careers Hubs increase young peoples’ exposure to employers and more in-depth workplace experiences. These experiences give young people a real feel for work and the skills they need to succeed.The National Careers Service provides free, impartial high-quality careers information, advice and guidance. Young people aged 13-18 can access information and advice through the service website and local community-based careers advisers via a web chat service and a telephone helpline.The Careers Pathway Dashboard allows users to see which are the most popular and best qualifications needed to gain successful employment in a specific sector within a local area. This is a first attempt to create information to support careers advice for young people exploring their career options or starting their career. The Careers Pathway Dashboard can be found here: https://department-for-education.shinyapps.io/education-to-employment-dashboard/.Careers Leaders work to develop careers programmes that will improve the quality of careers advice in schools and give more aspirational careers advice for children and young people.The department actively promotes apprenticeships in schools and colleges through the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge (ASK) programme. During the 2022/23 academic year, ASK engaged over 2,400 schools and colleges, with over 625,000 student engagements and more than 45,000 parent/carer engagements.Jobcentre Plus school advisers work closely with schools and colleges to support their statutory duty to deliver careers education and guidance, assisting young people to make informed choices about which path they can follow when they leave secondary school or reach 18.

Childcare

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure the availability of high-quality childcare.

David Johnston: The department is delivering the largest expansion of childcare in England’s history. Latest projections show that more than 150,000 children will benefit by early April. The department expects that number to grow in the coming months and years. The department continues to support the sector’s expansion with £400 million additional funding to uplift hourly rates next year and a guarantee that rates will increase in line with cost pressures for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years.By the financial year 2027/28, this government expects to be spending more than £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping families with pre-school children with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.Alongside increasing funding rates, government is allocating £100 million in capital funding to local authorities in financial year 2023/24 to support the expansion of childcare places for eligible working parents and to increase the supply of wraparound care in primary schools. The funding is anticipated to deliver thousands of new places across the country.The department is also taking steps to support the early years workforce. Following the consultation on changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, the department has introduced flexibilities that aim to make things easier for providers, as well as continuing to explore how to support the sector to deliver the additional places that will be required.On 2 February 2024, the department launched ‘Do something Big, Work with small children’ a new national recruitment campaign to support the recruitment and retention of talented staff to support the expansion of the 30 hours offer. This campaign will raise the profile of the sector, support the recruitment of talented staff, and recognise the lifelong impact those working in early years and childcare have on children and their families. The department is also providing £1,000 to eligible joiners and returners to the workforce as part of a financial incentives pilot and are supporting childminders through a £7.2 million start-up grant scheme, open to all new childminders who registered on or after 15 March 2023.The department is ensuring a phased implementation of the expansion to the 30 hours offer to allow the market to develop the necessary capacity. The department will continue to monitor the sufficiency of childcare places across the sector. The department’s Childcare and Early Years Provider Survey shows that both the number of places available and the workforce have increased since 2022.Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, the department and the local authority discuss what action they are taking to address those issues and where needed support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.The department continues to work closely with the sector on the implementation of these reforms as it delivers this substantial expansion.

Apprentices: Small Businesses

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to encourage clusters of small employers to take on an apprentice jointly.

Robert Halfon: The department has introduced flexi-job apprenticeship agencies (FJAAs), which are supporting sectors with short-term project-based work by allowing apprentices to work with multiple host employers, and on a range of projects, to gain the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in their chosen field. The department encourages small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to become host employers and benefit from access to a diverse apprenticeship talent pipeline to help their businesses grow and prosper.There are now 42 FJAAs supporting the delivery of apprenticeships across every region in England in sectors such as the creative industries, construction, and education. SMEs interested in hosting apprentices can contact a flexi-job apprenticeship agency directly. The current register of FJAAs can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flexi-job-apprenticeships/flexi-job-apprenticeship-agencies.More widely, the department has made it easier for SMEs to grow their businesses by removing the limit on the number of apprentices they can take on and cutting by a third the number of steps needed to register to take on an apprentice. The department also continues to pay 95% of training costs for SMEs and has recently launched an expert provider pilot which will give additional permissions to providers within the apprenticeship service so they can take on more administration from SMEs. This will inform development of a wider offer next year.

Apprentices

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of trends in the number of apprenticeship completions.

Robert Halfon: Since 2015 the department has transformed apprenticeships so that they are higher quality and better meet the needs of employers and individuals. The department has replaced apprenticeship frameworks with employer-designed apprenticeship standards which are more robust and harder to achieve, and raised the bar on duration, time to learn off the job and quality of assessment.It is important that every apprentice gets the maximum value from their apprenticeship. and the department has focused its efforts on supporting apprentices to stay on their programme and achieve. The department is investing £7.5 million in a workforce development programme for teachers and trainers of apprentices. In addition, the department has increased the apprenticeship funding rate for English and mathematics by 54%, providing targeted support to employers and Ofsted are inspecting all apprenticeship providers by 2025.The department is now seeing the positive impact of these actions. There were 162,320 achievements reported for the 2022/23 academic year, which represent the highest number since 2018/19, up 18.3% compared to the 2021/22 academic year. Furthermore, 37,400 people have achieved their apprenticeship so far this academic year, up by 22% compared to the same period last year.On 21 March, the department will be publishing the apprenticeship national achievement rates for 2022/23 academic year as well as the latest data on the number of achievements so far this year. This will be accessible through the apprenticeships statistical publication found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships.

Apprentices: English Language and Mathematics

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to help enable apprentices to gain proficiency in maths and English in the first year of their apprenticeship.

Robert Halfon: Achieving a good standard in English and mathematics is important to longer term career prospects, with research showing that achieving English and mathematics qualifications can correlate to higher earning potential. That is why the department funds apprentices to achieve qualifications in English and/or mathematics by the end of their apprenticeship if they do not already hold them.The department recently increased funding by 54% so apprentices receive more support in gaining these vital skills. It is important that providers maintain the flexibility to plan how and when this provision is delivered in the most effective way possible during the apprenticeship.

Academic Freedom

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold discussions with the Office for Students on ensuring that the forthcoming guidance for higher education providers on (a) securing free speech within the law and (b) publishing and maintaining a freedom of speech code of practice is published before 1 August 2024.

David Johnston: The remaining provisions of the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 will come into force in two phases. The main provisions of the Act, introducing free speech duties on higher education providers, constituent institutions and students' unions, and the new complaints scheme, will come into force on 1 August 2024. The Office for Students (OfS) has already launched two consultations that will feed into new complaints scheme rules and guidance for students’ unions on the OfS’s approach to regulating them. These will be published before the 1 August 2024.The second phase involves provisions relating to new conditions of registration on providers and monitoring of overseas funding. These will come into force on 1 September 2025.The OfS expects to consult shortly on the proposed revisions to the regulatory framework, including on its approach to the recovery of costs, as well as on more detailed guidance on securing free speech within the law and on maintaining a free speech code of practice. The OfS consultations are not yet live, and the OfS will require time to run the consultation, analyse the results and publish a response before they can publish the guidance to which they relate. Precise timings on the publication of guidance are a matter for the OfS.

Training

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that (a) young people and (b) adults have access to a range of high quality training pathways.

Robert Halfon: The government is committed to creating a world-leading skills system which is employer-focused, high-quality and fit for the future. The department’s reforms are strengthening higher and further education to help more people get good jobs and upskill and retrain throughout their lives. The department’s reforms are backed with an additional investment of £3.8 billion over the course of this Parliament to strengthen higher and further education. These reforms will help equip people with the education, training and skills that employers demand both in the public and private sector.Apprenticeships are for people of any age and are crucial in driving growth and social mobility. To support growth, the department is increasing investment in apprenticeships to £2.7 billion by 2024/25, encouraging more employers across the country to recruit new apprentices.The department has introduced employer-designed T Levels which are equipping thousands of young people with the skills, knowledge, and experience to access employment or further study in some of the most in-demand skills areas. 18 T Levels are now available, which are being delivered through over 250 providers across all regions of the country.The department has invested £300 million to establish 21 Institutes of Technology across England to significantly increase the number of learners with higher level technical skills, offering an alternative route to high paid jobs. They bring education and industry together to deliver world class technical education and training in key STEM subjects aligned to the skills needs of the local economy they serve.The department is delivering reforms to increase the profile, prestige, and uptake of higher technical education. Central to these reforms is the introduction of Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs), which are Level 4/5 qualifications approved against employer-developed standard and quality marked by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. This means students and employers can have the confidence that HTQs provide skills employers need. To date, 172 qualifications have been approved as HTQs across seven occupational routes and over 140 providers are approved to deliver HTQs.The Adult Education Budget (AEB) of £1.34 billion this year funds skills provision for adults to help them gain the skills they need for work, an apprenticeship or further learning. This includes entitlements to free first qualifications at Level 2 and 3 and English, mathematics and digital qualifications for those adults who do not have them. Community Learning plays a vital role within AEB provision by supporting those furthest from the workplace. It is an important stepping stone for learners who are not ready for formal accredited learning, or who would benefit from learning in a more informal way.In addition, the department has introduced the Free Courses for Jobs scheme, which enables eligible adults to gain a high value qualification for free and Skills Bootcamps. These Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with an employer.

Universities: Antisemitism and Islamophobia

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help reduce cases of (a) anti-Semitism and (b) Islamophobia on university campuses.

Robert Halfon: This government condemns in the strongest possible terms any form of racial or religiously motivated harassment or violence. In the context of the conflict in the Middle East, there have been unprecedented rises in antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents, which are abhorrent on every level. Universities should be welcoming and inclusive environments and higher education (HE) providers have a responsibility to take a zero tolerance approach to any form of racial or religious harassment. They have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to adopt robust policies and procedures that enable them to investigate and swiftly address reports of racism.The Community Security Trust has reported an unprecedented rise in antisemitic incidents, which is totally unacceptable.To support Jewish students, the Secretary of State for Education and I wrote to all universities on 11 October 2023, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. I wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16 November 2023, emphasising that they must use disciplinary measures wherever appropriate, highlighting the importance of police engagement, and reiterating that student visas could be suspended where a foreign national is found to have committed or incited acts of racial hatred. This was one of the key actions set out in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in HE, which was published on 5 November 2023. The plan also involves:​Calling for visas to be withdrawn from international students who incite racial hatred. Visas are a privilege, not a right, and the government will not hesitate to remove them from people who abuse them.​Logging specific cases and sharing them with the Office for Students for their consideration.​Continuing to make it clear in all discussions that acts that may be criminal should be referred to the police.​Establishing a Tackling Antisemitism Quality Seal which will be an award available to universities who can demonstrate the highest standards in tackling antisemitism.On 22 November 2023, the government announced in the Autumn Statement an additional £7 million over three years to tackle antisemitism in education. The Quality Seal will be the cornerstone of this package for universities, providing a framework of measures that will make clear what good practice is in tackling antisemitism in HE, and making sure that universities are a safe and welcoming space for Jewish students and staff, as for all students and staff.Anti-Muslim hatred is equally abhorrent and has no place in our society. No one should ever be a victim of hatred because of their religion or belief and the government is continuing to work with police and community partners to monitor and combat it.This government is proud to have funded Tell MAMA, a service that supports victims of anti-Muslim hatred, with over £6 million since their inception in 2012. Tell MAMA’s work has been recognised internationally as a good practice model in recording and monitoring anti-Muslim hate. The organisation has documented 2,010 Islamophobic incidents in the UK between 7 October 2023 and 7 February 2024. This represents a steep rise from the 600 it recorded for the same period the year previously. The government will not tolerate religious hatred towards Muslims and that is why the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities put in place an extra £4.9 million of protective security funding for Muslim mosques, faith schools and communities.The new Protective Security for Mosques Scheme provides physical protective security measures (such as CCTV, intruder alarms and secure perimeter fencing) in both mosques and associated Muslim faith community centres. Protective security measures are also available to Muslim faith schools. Headteachers of eligible schools were contacted directly by the Home Office in January 2023 to register their interest.Lastly, as my right hon. Friend, Minister Buchan stated on 4 March 2024, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities plan to appoint a new independent adviser on anti-Muslim hatred, and it will update the house shortly.

Department for Business and Trade

Batteries and Electric Vehicles: Sales

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to implement third-party certification to ensure e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries are approved by an independent body before being available for sale.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government takes consumer protection very seriously and is concerned about the frequency of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries found in e-bikes and e-scooters. Products must be safe before being placed on the UK market.Working across Government we are taking action against unsafe products and have issued guidance on the safe use of these products. We are also seeking to better understand the root causes of these incidents and have commissioned research from the Warwick Manufacturing Group (part of Warwick University).This research will help inform the position moving forward including the interaction between batteries and chargers, and the suitability of third-party conformity assessment to tackle this complex issue.

Export Controls

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the average processing time was for export licenses in the last six months; how many civil servants were assigned to process export licenses in that period; and whether her Department plans to take steps to (a) increase the number of civil servants assigned to process export licenses and (b) improve the efficiency of the export licensing process.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Export Control Joint Unit strives to meet its licensing targets by concluding 70 per cent of standard individual export licence applications within 20 working days and 99 per cent within 60 working days. We publish comprehensive Official Statistics every quarter about the decisions we make on licence applications including processing times. This data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.As of 12 March 2024, the processing of export licence applications was being delivered by 48.61 full-time equivalent (FTE) officials within the Department for Business and Trade. They are supported by teams from the Ministry of Defence and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office who provide advice to DBT on export licence applications.As export licensing is a demand-led operation, ECJU regularly assesses how to organise its resources to enable it to provide the most efficient and effective service and to adapt to changing demands.

Trade Agreements: Nigeria

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2024 to Question 15265 on Shell: Nigeria, whether her Department has raised the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project during trade negotiations with Nigeria.

Greg Hands: The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project was not part of the discussions with the Federal Government of Nigeria, when agreeing the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP). The ETIP is a forward-looking and non-legally binding arrangement, which aims to cover issues both countries wish to work on, to resolve non-tariff market access barriers, and to boost mutual trade and investment.However, the UK encourages a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Government, oil and gas companies, and communities to bring an end to all forms of oil contamination in Nigeria.

Department for Business and Trade: Legal Costs

Pat McFadden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the total cost to the public purse was of legal (a) support and (b) representation to Ministers in (i) her Department and (ii) the predecessor Department in relation to their official conduct in each of the last three years.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested. More generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the long-standing policies on legal expenditure, as set out recently by Cabinet Office Ministers on 12 March 2004, Official Report, PQ 17709 and 12 March 2024, Official Report, House of Lords, Cols. 1901-1904.

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-pacific Partnership

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will have discussions with the Leader of the House on allocating time for debate on a substantive motion relating to the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership ahead of the conclusion of the statutory 21 sitting day period for which the treaty is laid before Parliament.

Greg Hands: The Government is committed to effective scrutiny of its trade agenda and has put in place a comprehensive framework for scrutiny of free trade agreements (FTAs). This includes a commitment to seek to hold a general debate on a new FTA where one is requested by the relevant Select Committee, subject to parliamentary time being available. The scheduling of parliamentary business is not a matter for the Department for Business and Trade.

Horizon IT System

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her planned timetable is to introduce legislation to exonerate sub-postmasters impacted by the Horizon IT System.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Post Office (Horizon System) Offences Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 13 March. With the will of both Houses of Parliament, the Government’s intention is that the Bill receives Royal Assent as soon as possible before Summer Recess. Convictions in scope will be quashed on Royal Assent.

Partnerships: Shipping

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy during the Twelfth sitting of the Public Bill Committee on the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill on Tuesday 15 November 2022, Official Report, column 397, whether she has made a recent assessment of the prevalence of limited partnerships (LP) owning assets in the context of reports of LPs owning oil tankers and other vessels.

Kevin Hollinrake: My Department and Companies House closely monitor reports of potential misuse of corporate structures registered in the UK.The Government is well aware of the risks around misuse of limited partnerships, which is why we acted through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 to introduce the biggest changes to limited partnership law since 1907. The reforms will crack down on the abuse of all UK limited partnerships, including requiring much more information on the partners and greater controls over their formation.

Partnerships: Shipping

Dame Margaret Hodge: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy during the Twelfth sitting of the Public Bill Committee on the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill on Tuesday 15 November 2022, Official Report, column 397, whether she has made an assessment of the prevalence of nominee partners being used to hide the person with significant influence or control over limited partnerships in the context of recent reports on that subject.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is aware that limited partnerships are being misused by rogue actors. This is why we legislated for reform of the law governing limited partnerships via the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023.Under these reforms, much more information will be required on the partners of all limited partnerships, leading to greater transparency. Companies House will also have greater powers to challenge, reject, share and remove suspicious information relating to limited partnerships.In addition, the new Companies House intelligence hub will use data science to identify patterns and crack down on those trying to dodge the new requirements.

Postal Services: Scotland

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make it her policy to ensure that orders made under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 on postal affairs are expedited.

Kevin Hollinrake: We are not currently aware of any section 104 orders which would be needed to overturn convictions in Scotland.

Department for Business and Trade: Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the document entitled Draft terms of reference for the Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group, what updates her Department has provided on relevant developments in its area of work to that group since 2019.

Kevin Hollinrake: Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities over a range of issues. More broadly, I refer the hon. Member to the answer of 1 March 2024, Official Report, PQ 16019 on tackling anti-Muslim hatred.

Ministry of Defence

Army: Equality

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the British Army has spent on diversity and inclusion personnel since 2019.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The British Army has spent £2,569,393.89 on salaries for people employed in dedicated Diversity and Inclusion roles from 2019 to 2023. Individuals in the roles described are paid at a commensurate rate to their rank. In February, the Secretary of State for Defence ordered a root and branch review of ethnicity, diversity and inclusivity policies in Defence which is ongoing.

Army: Equality

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2024 to Question 12234 on Army: Equality, what proportion of the personnel employed by the British Army are in roles in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Dr Andrew Murrison: As at 1 October 2023, there are 73,515 personnel in the Full Time Trade Trained strength of the British Army, and 7,901 Civil Servants employed in the Army Top Level Budget. Of these, there are currently eight people employed in dedicated Diversity and Inclusion roles in the Army Headquarters. This reflects a reduction since 31 January 2024, at which point the Army employed 13 people in roles dedicated to Diversity and Inclusion. The five roles in Army formations have subsequently been disbanded.

Military Decorations

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department plans to begin issuing the Wider Services Medal.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The award of any new medals and the timing for their issue would be announced at the appropriate time.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence during the debate on Nuclear Test Veterans: Medical Records of 28 November 2023, Official Report, column 245WH, whether his Department has examined the 150 Atomic Weapons Establishment files.

Dr Andrew Murrison: I personally examined all 150 records at the Atomic Weapons Establishment on 18 March. I will update the House on plans for their release in due course.

Weapons: Expenditure

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on weapons support in each financial year since 2019-20.

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on complex weapons delivery in each financial year since 2019-20.

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on weapons engineering in each financial year since 2019-20.

James Cartlidge: The information requested can be found below:   2019-20 £million2020-21 £million2021-22 £million2022-23 £millionComplex Weapons Delivery Equipment Plan spend644.741632.719832.632954.508Complex Weapons Delivery Operating Costs18.52127.49527.82625.478Notes:· The costs provided in this response represent Equipment Plan spend and Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Operating Costs. Expenditure on Raw Materials and Consumable is excluded. Financial Year 2023-24 spend is not included as costs have not yet been finalised.· Complex Weapons is a delivery team within the Weapons Operating Centre in DE&S. It manages a portfolio of Complex Weapons delivering key capabilities across all three services. Costs provided are for Equipment Plan spend in development, procurement, and support of Complex Weapons.

Ministry of Defence: Aviation

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on air transport in each financial year since 2019-20.

James Cartlidge: The DE&S Air Transport delivery team total spend on equipment by financial year is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2019-20183.4342020-21170.7222021-22259.2082022-23231.898  The Air Transport delivery team total spend on operating costs by financial year is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2019-2019.3842020-2119.4012021-2217.1462022-2317.389  The Air Transport Delivery Team is a specific project team in DE&S and the figures above represent the total spend of that team. The figure does not represent the total spend on all air transport projects across Defence which would not be held centrally and would not be answerable without a disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Defence: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget for the Remotely-Piloted Air Systems team at Defence Equipment and Support is in the (a) 2023-24, (b) 2024-25 and (c) 2025-26 financial year.

James Cartlidge: The figures presented in this table represent the projected annual operating expenditure budget and forecast costs for the Remotely-Piloted Air Systems delivery team at Defence Equipment and Support. The Remotely-Piloted Air Systems delivery team budget and forecast costs on equipment costs by financial year (FY) is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2023-24249.622024-25278.232025-26308.41  The Remotely-Piloted Air Systems delivery team budget and forecast costs on operating costs by financial year is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2023-2424.93 1  Notes: It should be noted that the annual budget for 2024-25 and beyond is not available. Due to the Operating Model work currently underway in DE&S, the current team structure is likely to change significantly, and we anticipate that the way that budgets are apportioned will also change.

Afghanistan: Refugees

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the reassessment of ARAP eligibility decisions for former members of the ATF-444 and CF-333.

James Heappey: We are currently providing a comprehensive package of training and guidance to the team of case workers which will carry out the case-by-case reassessment of Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme applications from applicants with credible links to Afghan specialist units. The individuals in the case work team are independent of those who took the initial eligibility decisions on this tranche of applications.Systems and processes are now in place, and we are due to start reassessing cases imminently. Once we begin reassessing cases, we estimate it will take approximately 12 weeks to complete the entire review.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department spent on helicopters in each financial year since 2019-20.

James Cartlidge: The DE&S Helicopters Operating Centre has spent c£1 billion in each financial year since 2019-20 on Equipment Plan spend. Financial YearContract Spend £million2019-201,102.2912020-211,116.5322021-221,204.5902022-231,186.233 The DE&S Helicopters Operating Centre spend on operating costs for each financial year since 2019-20 is as follows. Financial YearOperating Costs £million2019-2070.6022020-2172.0682021-2273.9932022-2383.419

Armed Forces: Housing

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2024 to Question 10349 on Armed Forces: Housing, how much his Department has spent on housing forces personnel and their dependents in emergency accommodation due to major repair needs at their military accommodation since 1 April 2022.

James Cartlidge: From 1 April 2022 to 29 February 2024, the Department has spent £1,591,838 on housing forces personnel and their dependants in emergency accommodation due to major repairs needed at their military accommodation. Where an alternative permanent solution is either not appropriate or not immediately available, families are placed into temporary accommodation. Temporary accommodation is provided for a number of reasons, including non-habitable faults at Move-In, leaks, heating/hot water issues, total loss of cooking facilities, fires or floods.

Armed Forces: Housing

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2024 to Question 10351 on Armed Forces: Housing, how many Service Family Accommodation units were treated for (a) electrical faults and (b) pest infestation between 23 January and 18 March 2024, broken down by region.

James Cartlidge: The number of Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties that were treated for electrical faults between 23 January 2024 and 29 February 2024, broken down by region is detailed in the table below: RegionElectrical FaultsSouth East1,390South West1,445North681Central1,109  The number of SFA properties treated for pest infestation between 23 January 2024 and 29 February 2024, broken down by region is detailed in the table below: RegionPest InfestationSouth East148South West108North37Central90 Please note that we can only provide data up to 29 February 2024 as this is processed month-by-month.

Armed Forces: Housing

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2024 to Question 10346 on Armed Forces: Housing, if he will (a) update this answer with the latest available figures and (b) provide a regional breakdown of the updated figures.

James Cartlidge: A regional breakdown of the number of missed maintenance and repair appointments for Service Family Accommodation properties since 1 April 2022 to 18 March 2024, can be found in the table below: RegionNumber of missed appointments Central5,386North1,963South-East7,850South-West6,027Total 21,226 The figures include reactive repairs, planned maintenance and all other appointed tasks such as damp and mould remediation.

Armed Forces: Housing

Luke Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2024 to Question 9937 on Armed Forces: Housing, how many open work orders for repairs there were for (a) Service Family Accommodation and (b) Single Living Accommodation as of 18 March 2024, broken down by region.

James Cartlidge: As at 18 March 2024, the number of open work orders for repairs to Service Family Accommodation (SFA), broken down by region, can be found in the table below: RegionNo of open work orders for SFASouth East3,808South West3,224North1,526Central2,062  As at 18 March 2024, the number of open work orders for repairs to Single Living Accommodation (SLA) on the Built Estate, broken down by region, can be found in the table below: RegionNo of open work orders for SLASouth East2,810South West2,314Scotland & Northern Ireland981Central3,852

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Holly Lynch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2024 to Question 11369 on Armoured Fighting Vehicles and with reference to the letter from the Minister of State for Defence Procurement to the hon. Member for Halifax dated 14 March 2024, deposited paper reference DEP2024-0312, who the 18 scimitar combat reconnaissance vehicles were sold externally to.

James Cartlidge: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 December 2023 to Question UIN 6229 to the hon Member for Norwich South (Mr Clive Lewis).Armoured Fighting Vehicles (docx, 28.7KB)

Ministry of Defence: Motor Vehicles

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many vehicles his Department is leasing as of 18 March 2024.

James Cartlidge: As at 18 March 2024, the Ministry of Defence is leasing 14,806 vehicles The information provided relates to vehicles leased under the central Departmental contract for vehicle provision, which covers an array of vehicles including cars, minibuses, coaches and vans, as well as specialist vehicles such as dog vans, horse ambulances and mountain rescue vehicles.

Ministry of Defence: Rented Housing

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many houses rented by his Department were unoccupied as of 18 March 2024.

James Cartlidge: As of 18 March 2024, there were 6,747 unoccupied properties leased by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) from Annington Homes Ltd. In addition, the Ministry of Defence also holds 37 Bulk Lease Hire properties which are unoccupied.

Ministry of Defence: Written Questions

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 December to Question 5943 on Defence Equipment: ICT, when he plans to send the response letter to the Rt hon. Member for Garston and Halewood.

James Cartlidge: I will respond to the right hon. Member shortly. A copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Defence Equipment: Finance

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the financial viability of his Department’s equipment programme.

James Cartlidge: On 4 December 2023, The Permanent Secretary provided an update on the affordability of the Equipment Plan for 2023-33 to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee. This can be found on gov.uk at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65a16ef469fbd3001325c067/PUS_to_PAC_Equipment_Plan_23-33_Corrected.pdf  We are working hard to deliver the equipment our service people need to keep the UK safe. We have therefore increased the budget for the Equipment Plan to £288.6 billion over the next decade, noting the Government's aspiration to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP when economic and fiscal conditions allow.

Sloane Helicopters: Contracts

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March to Question 16658 on Sloane Helicopters: Contracts, whether the value of the contract extension will be disclosed alongside the publication of the new Contract Award notice.

James Cartlidge: I would be content to make the information available following the publication of the new contract award. More broadly, I would note that such transport arrangements are long-standing and have operated under successive Governments of all political colours.

Military Aircraft: Expenditure

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on (a) A400M and (b) Voyager in each financial year since 2019-20.

James Cartlidge: The A400 and Voyager total spend on equipment costs by financial year (FY) is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2019-20454.1682020-21601.7982021-22309.0132022-23416.344  The A400 and Voyager total spend on operating costs by financial year is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2019-2017.8792020-2120.1082021-2217.54320222329.239  The A400 and Voyager team is a specific project team in DE&S and the figures above represent the total spend of that team. The figure does not represent the total spend on all A400 and Voyager projects across Defence.

Military Aircraft: Training

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on UK Military Flying Training Systems in each financial year since 2019-20.

James Cartlidge: The Military Flying Training Systems total spend on equipment costs by financial year (FY) is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2019-20296.0562020-21299.1522021-22279.2092022-23299.757  The Military Flying Training Systems total spend on operating costs by financial year is as follows: FYTotal spend (£million)2019-2013.9932020-2117.5102021-2216.3702022-2313.816  The Military Flying Training Systems team is a specific project team in DE&S and the figures above represent the total spend of that team. The figure does not represent the total spend on all Military Flying Training Systems projects across Defence.

Armed Forces: Expenditure

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on (a) future and (b) common support services in each financial year since 2019-20.

James Cartlidge: There is no single definition of support services and therefore the Department does not hold the information in the format requested.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Uncrewed Ground Vehicle types are owned by the Army.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Army has spent on Uncrewed Ground Vehicles since 2014.

James Cartlidge: It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the right hon. Member's Questions. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Military Exercises

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department last exercised deploying Army vehicles by rail.

James Cartlidge: The Ministry of Defence regularly use rail to move Army vehicles. The most recent use of rail to transport Army vehicles was in Germany in 2023 during Exercise IRON STORM. In April 2024, Exercise STEADFAST DEFENDER will see the British Army use rail to transport vehicles. This movement will occur across multiple countries.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what is the maximum load capacity of the Army’s Heavy Equipment Transporters.

James Cartlidge: The maximum legal payload weight for the Army’s Heavy Equipment Transporters on UK and European roads is 72 tonnes.

Ajax Vehicles: Procurement

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Ajax vehicles are scheduled to be delivered to the Army in (a) 2024, (b) 2025, (c) 2026, (d) 2027, (e) 2028, (f) 2029 and (g) 2030.

James Cartlidge: The table below shows the number of newly built Ajax platforms due to be delivered to the Department, with only deployable vehicles being delivered going forward. YearNumber20249320258920266620271252028732029020300 Notes:In addition to the numbers of newly built platforms listed above, there are 143 Ajax vehicles that will be retrofitted from earlier build standards to the final deployable build standard. The plan for when these retrofitted vehicles will be delivered is currently still in development, however all are currently scheduled for delivery by 2029.It is anticipated that all vehicles will be delivered to the Army in the same calendar year they are delivered to the Department. If the vehicle is received late in the year, it is possible that the Army will receive the vehicle in the next calendar year.

Ajax Vehicles

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Ajax vehicle has fired its CT40 cannon in fully automatic mode on the move.

James Cartlidge: There is no ‘fully automatic’ mode for the AJAX CT 40 cannon. The CT 40 has been fired on the move in ‘burst mode’ during acceptance trials.

Army: Defence Equipment

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current status is of the British Army's Dismounted Situational Awareness programme.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the estimated budget is for the British Army's Dismounted Situational Awareness programme.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects the requirements review for the British Army's Dismounted Situational Awareness to be completed.

James Cartlidge: The Dismounted Situational Awareness (DSA) capability will be a 21st century communication, navigation and situational awareness system to replace paper maps, compasses, paper notebooks and simple voice radios. Rowden Technologies (RT) were awarded the Design and Integration Partner contract in July 2021. RT has successfully delivered the System Design Review; however, the project is forecasting a delay. The Senior Responsible Owner requested a review of the project’s Capability Requirements and Acquisition Strategy, to reset the project with higher delivery confidence. The requirements review has recently concluded and as a result, the Army has confirmed the requirement for DSA remains unchanged. I am withholding the budget, as this is commercially sensitive.

Challenger Tanks

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department expects the Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank to weigh in tonnes.

James Cartlidge: The Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank’s core weight will be approximately 66 tonnes, although I am withholding the anticipated all-up weight of the deployable configuration as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Armed Forces

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to future proof the Armed Forces against new security threats.

James Heappey: The Defence Command Paper 2023 (DCP23) set out how the Armed Forces and wider Defence would modernise and adapt to the changing context.Our Armed Forces are operating in an increasingly contested world and we are committed to ensuing our Armed Forces have the equipment to defend our nation and maintain strategic advantage. To deliver this, we have increased the budget for the Equipment Plan to £288.6 billion over the next decade. As outlined in the Defence Command Paper 23, we are focusing even more on Artificial Intelligence, digital capabilities, and assuring our supply chains, to make sure we adapt to changing technology and emerging threats.

USA: Military Bases

Douglas Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had recent discussions with his US counterpart on the (a) provision and (b) location of further bases for US (i) personnel and (ii) equipment in the UK.

James Heappey: The US is the UK's principal defence and security partner. UK Ministers and officials speak regularly with US counterparts to ensure coherence and alignment between our two nations, including on the footprint of both the US forces based within the UK, and the UK military presence in the US. Together, we regularly discuss and review our military footprint requirements.The US military presence in the UK is part of its strategic posture within Europe, providing assurance and deterrence for NATO, and is a visible demonstration of the continuing strength of our bilateral relationship.

Armed Forces: Medals

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Platinum Jubilee Medals his Department has issued.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many King's Coronation Medals his Department has issued.

Dr Andrew Murrison: The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal qualifying criteria has been amended and re-published as at 12 March 2024. It is anticipated that a significant cohort of Service personnel on Reserve engagements will now qualify under the revised criteria. The below table shows the number of Platinum Jubilee Medals issued as at 15 March 2024. Medal typeTotal number of medals despatchedTotal number of medals despatched due to distribution issued and replacementsTotal number of medals issued by MOD to MOD personnel (single issue)HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal139,3522,103137,249 Due to distribution issues, additional medals have been despatched so that eligible individuals receive their medal as swiftly as possible. The originally issued medals are in the process of being located by the single Service Unit Admin or Logistics staff and returned to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Medal Office.  The below table shows the number of King’s Coronation Medals issued as at 15 March 2024. Medal typeTotal number of medals despatchedTotal number of medals despatched as replacements due to damage whilst on dutyTotal number of medals issued by MOD to MOD personnel (single issue)HM the King’s Coronation Medal21,5352021,515 Due to the lead time for receiving raw materials, production, delivery and internal MOD distribution, the project to award the bulk of the King’s Coronation Medal 2023 to eligible MOD personnel will take until October 2024 to conclude.

United Arab Emirates: Armed Forces

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel were based at the new Donnelly Lines facility in the UAE on 13 March 2024.

James Heappey: On 13 March 2024 there were no UK personnel based at the new Donnelly Lines facility in the UAE as the site had not reached full operating capacity. However approximately 20 UK personnel were engaged in work on Donnelly Lines and accommodated elsewhere in Al Minhad Air Base.

NATO

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the UK meets its obligations to NATO.

James Heappey: The UK continues to be a leading ally in NATO. We contribute to every NATO mission and offer the full spectrum of our defence capabilities to the Alliance. We meet NATO's Defence Investment Pledge to invest at least 2% of GDP on defence, and have done so in every year since 2006.

Defence Equipment: Procurement

Martin Docherty-Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the conclusions of the First Report of the Defence Committee, Ready for War?, HC 26, the Eighth Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, Improving Defence Inventory Management, HC 66, and the Nineteenth Report of the Committee of Public Accounts, MoD Equipment Plan 2023-33, HC 451.

James Heappey: We welcome each of the reports on our Armed Forces Readiness, Inventory Management and the Equipment Plan. We are in the process of reviewing all the recommendations and formulating our responses to the reports.

LGBT Veterans Independent Review

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15405 on LGBT Veterans Independent Review, whether his Department plans to create a single application form for LGBT veterans who are applying for financial compensation.

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2024 to Question 15405 on LGBT Veterans Independent Review, whether his Department has plans to increase the accessibility of the application process for LGBT veterans who are seeking (a) financial compensation and (b) other non-financial restorative measures.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Defence continues to work at pace to establish an appropriate scheme for the financial award and aims to follow a similar application process as the non-financial award recommendations. Development of the scheme and the application process is underway.The Government worked with LGBT Veterans and charities at pace to implement an accessible process for LGBT veterans to apply for restorative measures. While there are no current plans to change the application process, Defence will continue to review it to ensure it is appropriate and accessible. We are committed to ensuring that all restorative measures are easily accessible for our valued LGBT veterans.In the meantime, Defence will continue to engage with stakeholders and is committed to providing updates on the development of the scheme; eligibility criteria; and information on the application process on the ‘LGBT Veterans: support and next steps’ GOV.UK page as soon as possible.For those with further accessibility requirements, Defence provides a Veterans Welfare Service (VWS), which includes assistance in completion of application forms. Further information on this service can be found on their GOV.UK page (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/veterans-welfare-service).

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners' Release

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were released within two months of the scheduled end of their sentence in the last 12 months.

Edward Argar: End of Custody Supervised Licence (ECSL) began in October 2023, and an analysis of its use will be based on one year’s worth of data and published on an annual basis in line with other statistics, such as deaths of offenders in the community.

Crown Court: Snaresbrook

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether Snaresbrook Crown Court has customer service targets for dealing with (a) incoming calls and (b) written correspondence.

Mike Freer: Snaresbrook Crown Court aims to respond to email correspondence within five-working days of receipt, but have no other local targets in place.

Wandsworth Prison: Drugs

Ruth Cadbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the positive rate for random mandatory drug tests carried out at HMP Wandsworth was in the latest period for which data is available.

Edward Argar: The latest period for which random mandatory drug tests (rMDT) data is available is the year April 2022 to March 2023 (2022-2023). 18% of random mandatory drug tests (rMDT) in Wandsworth were positive for either traditional or psychoactive drugs throughout 2022-23.We are doing more to tackle the supply of drugs in prisons. Our £100m Security Investment Programme completed in March 2022 and delivered 75 additional X-ray body scanners, supplying full coverage across the closed male estate. We have also installed 84 X-ray baggage scanners at 49 sites, drug detection machines and metal detection archways. Furthermore, we are taking steps to support individuals with substance misuse issues in prison. We have dramatically increased the number of incentivised substance-free living units, where prisoners commit to living drug-free with incentives and regular testing. Over 70 prisons now have an ISFL, up from 25 in summer 2022.

Sentencing

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of extended sentences (a) generally and (b) in cases involving weapons in (i) deterring violent crimes and (ii) protecting the public.

Gareth Bacon: The Government keeps the effectiveness of all parts of the sentencing framework, including the operation of extended determinate sentences, under constant review. We do not keep statistical information on the link between extended determinate sentences and the specific types of offending or issues referred to in the question. However, the Government is confident that these sentences are effective in providing an appropriately robust form of punishment for serious sexual and violent offenders as well as an appropriate level of public protection, in the form of an extended fixed licence period, to address the danger posed by such offenders.

Prisons: Razors

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of replacing wet shaving razors with electric shavers in all prisons across Wales.

Edward Argar: We are committed to making prisons a safe place to work and recognise the risks associated with the current wet shave razor provision. In the 2021 Prison Safety White Paper, we committed to trial alternatives to wet-shave razors in prisons to test whether a change in approach might lead to a safer environment for both prisoners and staff. Throughout 2022 and 2023 six pilots have been carried out in the male estate and one carried out in the female estate.Testing at all sites has now concluded and the results are being evaluated. The evaluation will consider outcomes, learning and positive practice from across all pilot sites and will be measured against the impact they have had on violence and/or self-harm.The evaluation will be completed by the end of March 2024. This evaluation will enable us to make informed recommendations on future shaving provision in prison establishments.

Prisoners' Release: Temporary Accommodation

Simon Fell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what performance measures his Department uses to measure the success of transitional accommodation for prison leavers.

Simon Fell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department collects information on how many people who leave prison for transitional accommodation leave with settled accommodation.

Edward Argar: Prison leavers without settled accommodation are almost 50 per cent more likely to re-offend compared with those with settled accommodation: a settled place to live is a key factor in reducing re-offending, cutting crime and protecting the public.The data collected on people leaving prison for transitional accommodation, together with data on settled accommodation three months after release, can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64c10b4e90b54500143e8375/Probation_Performance_Data_Tables_2022-23.xlsx.HMPPS Community Accommodation Service (CAS) currently provides transitional accommodation via three tiers of support, each focused on a different cohort. CAS1 (Approved Premises) is used as a public protection resource to accommodate higher-risk offenders. CAS2 provides accommodation for medium-risk defendants on bail and prisoners eligible for release under home detention curfew. CAS3 is our ground-breaking new temporary accommodation service.HMPPS launched CAS3 in July 2021, providing up to 12 weeks’ guaranteed accommodation on release for those leaving prison at risk of homelessness, with support to move on to settled accommodation. Initially implemented in five probation regions (Yorkshire and the Humber; North West; Greater Manchester; East of England; and Kent, Surrey and Sussex), the service was rolled out to Wales in June 2022. From April 2023, the CAS3 service was operating in all probation regions in England and Wales.Between 2019-20 and 2022-23, the proportion of prison leavers who were homeless upon release decreased by five percentage points, from 16 per cent to 11 per cent.By January 2023, the proportion of offenders housed on the first night of release from custody was 7.6 percentage points higher in CAS3 regions in comparison with regions where CAS3 had yet to be implemented.

Offenders: Drugs

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help ensure the rehabilitation of offenders with a history of substance abuse.

Edward Argar: We know that substance misuse drives reoffending, and are committed to supporting offenders to overcome addictions and turn their lives around. Our landmark Drugs Strategy sets out the ambitious cross-government 10-year plan to address illegal drug use, underpinned by record additional investment – as part of which, the Ministry of Justice is supporting offenders at every stage of the criminal justice system into recovery. In prison we have dramatically increased the number of incentivised substance-free living (ISFL) units, where prisoners commit to living drug-free with incentives and regular testing. Over 70 prisons now have an ISFL, up from 25 in summer 2022. To ensure prison leavers maintain their progress in treatment, we have recruited Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators nationwide to improve links between prison and community treatment services. We are also supporting the rehabilitation of offenders with substance misuse needs in the community. We have increased probation’s drug testing capacity and we are piloting Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), to divert offenders with substance misuse and complex needs away from short custodial sentences into enhanced community-based sentences. ISCs aim to tackle the root cause of offending behaviour through robust supervision and interventions, frequent and random drug testing, and regular reviews with a single judge.

Cabinet Office

Defence: Nuclear Weapons

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps he has taken to (a) assess and (b) enhance preparedness in response to nuclear threats.

Alex Burghart: The United Kingdom has well-developed contingency plans to respond to a wide range of eventualities. The plans and supporting arrangements have been developed, refined and tested over many years.The scale of these capabilities is driven by classified planning assumptions derived from the United Kingdom’s National Security Risk Assessment. The Government sets out some of the main risks and emergencies that drive this common consequence planning in the National Risk Register.As part of the UK’s broad emergency response capabilities, there are Local Resilience Forums (LRFs), multi-agency partnerships made up of representatives from local public services such as the NHS, local authorities, emergency services, and others.

Civil Servants: Remote Working

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants have conditions of employment which impose (a) no and (b) a four day limit on the number of days each week that they can work from home; and whether he has made a comparative assessment of the productivity of those who work from home for four days or more each week and those who do not.

John Glen: There is no information available centrally on how many civil servants have conditions of employment that impose no, and a four day limit on the number of days each week they can work from home. Decisions on terms and conditions of employment are made by the employing department, depending on their specific business requirements and nature of the role. Where business requirements allow for it, departments will operate flexible working arrangements.Civil servants are expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in the office with decisions on implementing and evaluating this expectation made by departments. A small number of home working contracts are in place but these are not routinely approved other than for a very small number of roles, or where a workplace adjustment is agreed for conditions recognised under the Equality Act. Equally, there are also employees who work only from the workplace, due to the nature of their roles, or through personal choice.There have been no specific central comparative assessments within the civil service of productivity of those who work from home for four days or more each week. It is recognised within departments that there are clear benefits of face-to-face working, including productivity, with complex tasks and problem solving undertaken more efficiently.

Special Forces: Afghanistan and Iraq

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2024 to Question 18400 on Special Forces: Afghanistan and Iraq, what the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs' planned timetable is for concluding his review.

John Glen: The Minister for Veterans' Affairs' will await the findings of the Inquiry before assessing the record.

Blood: Contamination

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution by the Leader of the House at Business Questions on 7 March 2024, Official Report, column 974, where he plans to visit as part of his tour on the infected blood scandal; and when he will be undertaking this tour.

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the oral contribution by the Leader of the House at Business Questions on 7 March 2024, Official Report, column 974, how (a) individual people and (b) organisations can register to meet him during his tour on the infected blood scandal.

John Glen: I am committed to engaging with the Infected Blood community and updating Parliament on progress of the Government response to the Infected Blood Inquiry as appropriate. Plans are currently being developed at my request to meet those infected and affected by Infected Blood across the United Kingdom to talk about their priorities ahead of the publication of the Inquiry’s final report. Further information on this will be shared soon.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2018 to Question 133803 on Universal Credit, what progress he has made on developing guidance for (a) Universal Credit claimants and (b) his Department's staff on the reporting and treatment of unreimbursed expenses.

Jo Churchill: The Work Coach guidance was updated in 2018.

Department for Work and Pensions: Legal Costs

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total cost to the public purse was for legal (a) support and (b) representation for Ministers in his Department in relation to their official conduct in the last three financial years.

Paul Maynard: Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested. More generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the long-standing policies on legal expenditure, as set out recently by Cabinet Office Ministers on 12 March 2024, UIN 17709 and Official Report, House of Lords, Vol. 836, Cols. 1901-1904, 12 March 2024.

Public Footpaths: Accidents

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of members of the public who have been killed by cattle whilst walking on public rights of way or open access land in the last three years.

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of members of the public who have been seriously injured by cattle while walking on public rights of way or open access land in the last three years.

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that farmers follow duties under (a) section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and (b) Cattle and public access guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive.

Paul Maynard: Over the period 2020/21-2022/23, eight members of the public were killed in agriculture, forestry and fishing in work-related incidents involving cattle while walking on public rights of way or open access land. This information has been published on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website Fatal injuries in agriculture, forestry and fishing in Great Britain 2022/23 (hse.gov.uk) The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) provide the national reporting framework for accident reporting and place a duty on responsible persons (usually employers, certain self-employed persons, and those in control of work premises) to report certain cases of injury, diseases and specified dangerous occurrences to the relevant Enforcing Authority. Incidents involving livestock and members of the public are reportable under RIDDOR where they result in either a fatality or a member of public attending hospital, directly from site, for treatment in respect of any injuries sustained. Many serious incidents are not reported so HSE does not have verified data on major injuries sustained by members of the public involving cattle. However, some analysis was done in 2020/21 for the Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee and this suggested that 26 members of the public sustained non-fatal injuries from cattle whilst walking on public rights of way or open access land. The safety and health of people at work in agriculture and members of the public who are affected by agricultural activities is a concern to HSE and the industry. HSE has a long-term strategy to drive up industry ownership of the challenge and influence farmer behaviour to comply with long standing legal requirements. Since 2018, HSE has delivered an annual programme of free training to farmers in advance of targeted proactive inspection. These targeted inspections specifically check if farmers are complying with the law in relation to management of risks from workplace vehicles, cattle (including the management of cattle in fields with public rights of ways) and falls.Earlier this year HSE has launched its 2024 Agricultural Campaign Work Right Agriculture - Work Right to keep Britain safe which includes a clear focus on management of livestock in a bid to improve safety on Britain’s farms. HSE is committed to supporting farmers to work safely with livestock. HSE also produces guidance to enable farmers and landowners to manage the risk from cattle put into fields which also have public access. Guidance is available free of charge on HSE’s website:Cattle and public access in England and Wales (hse.gov.uk)Cattle and public access in Scotland: Advice for farmers, landowners and other livestock keepers AIS17 (hse.gov.uk)

Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

Wendy Chamberlain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an estimate of the cost of uprating pensions payable through the Financial Assistance Scheme to the same level as those payable through the Pension Protection Fund.

Paul Maynard: The indexation rules for the Pension Protection Fund and the Financial Assistance Scheme are the same. Payments based on benefits accrued after April 1997 are increased in line with the Consumer Price Index, capped at 2.5 per cent. There is no award of increases on payments based on benefits accrued before April 1997.

State Retirement Pensions: Women

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to support women affected by changes to the state pension age with the cost of living.

Paul Maynard: The Government is committed to ensuring that older people can live with the dignity and respect they deserve, and the State Pension is the foundation of state support in retirement. Last year the State Pension saw its biggest ever cash rise, increasing by 10.1%. From April, the basic and new State Pensions will increase by 8.5%, in line with the Triple Lock. The Government is delivering a comprehensive package of support to help those aged 50 and over to remain in and return to work. We are also committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it, including when they near or reach retirement, through the welfare benefits system. Support is available to those who are unable to work or are on a low income but are not eligible for pensioner benefits because of their age. In addition, the government has provided support from 2022-23 to 2023-2024 to help households with the cost of living totalling £96 billion. We are providing further support for 24/25, including uprating working age benefits by 6.7%, raising the National Living Wage and uplifting Local Housing Allowance to the 30th percentile of local rents which will benefit 1.6 million private renters by, on average, £800 a year. The government is also providing an additional £500m to enable the extension of the Household Support Fund, including funding for the Devolved Administrations through the Barnett formula to be spent at their discretion. This means that Local Authorities in England will receive an additional £421m to support those in need locally through the Household Support Fund. This will enable further targeted support for people who require assistance to get back to a stable financial position as inflation continues to fall.

Members: Correspondence

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to respond to the letter of 18 October 2023 from the hon. Member for Warley relating to Mr Bashir Ali and his father Aden Ali Dine.

Paul Maynard: On 19 March 2024, DWP provided an interim response to the MP’s office. A full response will be provided in due course.

Universal Credit

Richard Foord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that universal credit payments are not affected by child maintenance.

Jo Churchill: Child Maintenance payments are not taken into account in the calculation of Universal Credit.

Jobcentres: Armed Forces

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much and what proportion of his Department’s funding is allocated to (a) employing and (b) supporting armed forces champions in jobcentre plus districts.

Mims Davies: The funding for Armed Forces Champions forms part of the overall allocation for Jobcentre Work Coaches and Leaders. There is no specific funding separately identifiable for the role of either employing or supporting our Armed Forces Champions, however the Department is committed to providing 11 dedicated Armed Forces Champion lead posts who oversee 50 Armed Forces Champions posts across the DWP Jobcentre network.

Treasury

Landlords: Taxation

Derek Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 6.48ff of the report by the Office for Tax Simplification entitled Property income review: simplifying income tax for residential landlords, published on 25 October 2022, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a brightline test to provide tax reliefs where property letting activities subject to income tax would qualify as a trade.

Nigel Huddleston: The suggestion by the Office for Tax Simplification (OTS) for a brightline test would create an arbitrary dividing line, and potential preferential tax treatment for those able to afford to buy more properties, as opposed to considering whether an activity constitutes trading or property letting on its merits. The OTS suggestions also had the effect that more activities would be considered trades. As a result the Government decided not to take that suggestion forward, but does keep all aspects of tax policy under review.

Tax Avoidance

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of the amount and proportion of tax identified by HMRC as being avoided through disguised remuneration schemes that will be paid by people who (a) recommended, (b) promoted and (c) operated such schemes in each of the next five years.

Nigel Huddleston: I refer the hon. Member for Portsmouth South to the answer given on 20 March to Question UIN 18112

Tax Avoidance

Daisy Cooper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2024 to Question 17136 on Tax Avoidance, whether it is HMRC’s policy to seek to recover tax due for liabilities incurred before December 2010, where a taxpayer has not received correspondence relating to an open compliance check for longer than 12 months.

Nigel Huddleston: In the 2019 Independent Loan Charge Review, Lord Morse recommended that the Loan Charge should only apply to loans made on or after 9 December 2010. The Government accepted this recommendation.However, Lord Morse was also clear that, for years before this date, where there is an open enquiry or assessment under appeal HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) should still have the ability to pursue the tax due under the existing rules. HMRC has proceeded on this basis.HMRC continues to work with and support taxpayers to resolve all outstanding enquiries and assessments relating to their use of disguised remuneration (DR) loans, in accordance with their published DR settlement terms and HMRC’s Litigation and Settlement StrategyAs part of its overall compliance processes and its commitment to update taxpayers at least annually, all of these taxpayers should have received correspondence from HMRC in the last 12 months.

Accountancy: Off-payroll Working

Derek Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with the accountancy services sector on the enforcement of Managed Service Company legislation against chartered providers of accountancy services.

Nigel Huddleston: HMRC officials have and continue to discuss the Managed Service Company rules with professional accountancy organisations, workers’ representative bodies and other tax professionals. HMRC officials in collaboration with stakeholders are exploring how HMRC’s guidance could be enhanced to enable taxpayers to understand whether certain services are Managed Service Company schemes.

Business: South Holland and the Deepings

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding in Government-backed business loans was provided to businesses in South Holland and the Deepings constituency during the covid-19 pandemic.

Gareth Davies: In total, the British Business Bank's Covid-19 loan support schemes (Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme) supported £101.4 million of lending to businesses in the South Holland and the Deepings constituency.

Orchestras: Tax Allowances

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, on the potential merits of including the voice as one of the eligible instruments for Orchestral Tax Relief.

Nigel Huddleston: The government is not currently considering expanding the scope of eligible instruments to include the voice, however the government keeps the tax system under review.

High Income Child Benefit Tax Charge

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an estimate of the impact of the introduction of the High Income Child Benefit Charge on the cost of child benefit to the public purse in each year since 2013; and how many and what proportion of households are affected by the High Income Child Benefit Charge in each constituency in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

Laura Trott: Data on the cost of Child Benefit in each financial year can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-expenditure-tablesHMRC publish breakdowns of families who have opted out of receiving Child Benefit payments in their annual statistical release.

Prisons: Health Services

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of not linking his Department's support for health care in public prisons in Wales with inflation on prisoner healthcare provision in Wales.

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding to support health care in public sector prisons in Wales.

Laura Trott: Healthcare in public sector prisons in Wales is delivered directly by NHS Wales. It is for the Welsh Government to decide how to allocate their resources in devolved areas, including NHS Wales.

Electronic Cigarettes: Excise Duties

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 5.31 and Table 5.1 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC560, published on 6 March 2024, whether his Department has conducted an equality impact assessment for the vaping products duty.

Gareth Davies: The government carefully considers the impact of decisions on those sharing protected characteristics in line with both our legal obligations and with this government’s strong commitment to promoting fairness. This was the case during the policy development process on the Vaping Product DutyWhilst there is no legal requirement to publish Equalities Impact Assessments, the Treasury and HMRC publish Tax Information and Impact Notes for individual tax measures that include, in summary form, assessments of their expected equalities impacts. These are published when the policy is final or near final.

Air Passenger Duty

Julian Knight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.45 and Table 5.1 of the Spring Budget 2024, HC560, published on 6 March 2024, whether his Department has conducted an equality impact assessment for the one-off adjustment to rates of air passenger duty on non-economy passengers.

Gareth Davies: When developing policy, including at Spring Budget 2024, the Treasury carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing any of the nine protected characteristics, including sex, race, disability and age, in line with its statutory obligations and strong commitment to promoting fairness.As with all taxes, the government keeps APD under review.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Football: Sportsgrounds

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has taken recent steps to designate football club grounds as assets of community value.

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) steps taken to safeguard of local arts and cultural venues and (b) the benefits of protection as Assets of Community value.

Jacob Young: The Assets of Community Value scheme has successfully helped community groups to take ownership of the publicly and privately-owned local assets of community value which would otherwise be at risk of loss.The £150 million Community Ownership Fund helps communities across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to take ownership of assets at risk of closure.The Community Ownership Fund has provided £550,000 to the Oldham Boxing Club, to assist the club to carry out essential repair works, keeping the historic building open to the whole community.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Legal Costs

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what the total cost to the public purse was of legal (a) support and (b) representation to Ministers in his Department in relation to their official conduct in each of the last three years.

Simon Hoare: Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested. More generally, I would refer the Hon Member to the long-standing policies on legal expenditure, as set out recently by Cabinet Office Ministers on 12 March 2004, Official Report, PQ 17709 and 12 March 2024, Official Report, House of Lords, Cols. 1901-1904.

Housing: Roads and Sewage

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential financial impact on homeowners of nearby (a) sewage systems and (b) highways not being completed.

Lee Rowley: It is for local planning authorities to make an appropriate assessment of infrastructure and its effect on residents. Equally, it is for local planning authorities to determine whether enforcement action is appropriate where infrastructure provision, subject to Section 106 agreement or subject to planning condition, is not delivered.Specifically on sewage, Section 94 of the Water Industry Act 1991 places a duty on a sewerage company to maintain public sewers, and water services regulation authority Ofwat can take enforcement action if a company is in breach.The Government will continue to look at national policy on this matter to ensure, rightly, our infrastructure continues to support communities up and down the country.

Inland Waterways: Planning

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will introduce National Planning Policy Guidance to assist local government planning authorities to provide a consistent approach to (a) canal and (b) associated infrastructure restoration.

Lee Rowley: The restoration of inland waterways are hugely important to so many communities around the country. Whilst we do not currently have plans to introduce further guidance, we will certainly keep the matter under review.

Levelling Up Fund: Strangford

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much and what proportion of levelling up funding allocated to Northern Ireland has been for projects within Strangford constituency.

Jacob Young: The UK Government is investing over £15 billion in a suite of complementary Levelling Up projects to help grow the economy, create jobs, improve transport, provide skills training and support local businesses.Overall, Northern Ireland has received around £435 million in Levelling Up funding and Strangford constituency has benefited from this funding, through a range of funds. In addition, a number of DLUHC funds are being made available to the Northern Ireland Executive as part of the financial package, further increasing the spending power available to the Executive and allowing it to invest against its own priorities. The full list of the UK Government funds which are being made available to the Executive is at gov.uk.Strangford constituency benefits from a share of UKSPF funding of around £104 million for Northern Ireland.In addition, Northern Ireland has benefited from £150 million funding through the Levelling Up Fund, which includes £3.2 million for Ards and North Down Borough Council’s pedestrian and cycle Green-ways and £5.1 million towards Ulster Rugby’s Club Capital Improvement Project, as well as £30 million set aside from Round 3 towards the financial package for the restored executive.The Community Renewal Fund has provided £12 million in funding to Northern Ireland, which includes projects within the Council areas in the Strangford constituency and projects Northern Ireland wide worth £6.75 million, where the benefits will be felt in Strangford constituency.

Social Rented Housing: Service Charges

Sir Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to impose a legal cap on service charges for social housing.

Jacob Young: The Government does not regulate levels of service charges in social housing. Our policy statement on social housing rents states that Registered Providers of social housing are expected to set reasonable and transparent service charges for tenants that reflect the service being provided. Levels of service charge may vary for each property based on a range of factors, including the cost of repairs, maintenance and management of the building.The Government’s policy statement on rents also states that Registered Providers of social housing should endeavour to keep any service charge increases for tenants within the limit on annual permitted rent increases (7.7% in 2024-25).

Freeports: Annual Reports

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answers of 15 March 2024 to Questions 17337 and 17338 on Freeports: Foreign Investment in UK, when his Department plans to publish the UK Freeports Programme Annual Report 2023; and if he will include the information on foreign direct investment performance (a) at the level and (b) for the dates requested in Questions 17337 and 17338.

Jacob Young: Announcements will be set out in due course.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Legal Costs

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the total cost to the public purse was for legal (a) support and (b) representation for Ministers in her Department and its predecessor department in relation to their official conduct in the last three financial years.

Andrew Griffith: Such information is not centrally recorded or collated in the form requested. More generally, I would refer the hon. Member to the long-standing policies on legal expenditure, as set out recently by Cabinet Office Ministers on 12 March 2024, Official Report, PQ 17709 and 12 March 2024, Official Report, House of Lords, Cols.1901-1904.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Darlington

Peter Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the economic impact of (a) investment made and (b) financial support provided  by her Department in Darlington constituency in the last four years.

Andrew Griffith: UK Research and Innovation spend in Darlington in financial year 2020-21 (the latest available data) was £0.55 million. The interactive innovation clusters map, available at https://www.innovationclusters.dsit.gov.uk/, provides further information about clusters in Darlington.

Digital Technology

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how she measures digital inclusion.

Saqib Bhatti: Digital inclusion is a cross-cutting issue that spans social engagement, education, employment, access to services and many more elements of everyday life. Responsibility for relevant policies and activities, including monitoring and evaluation, sit across government.Government draws on evidence from a variety of sources including the Office for National Statistics, regulators, and trusted partners and stakeholders from across the sector. Importantly, we seek to use such data and evidence to better understand the impact on day to day lives.DSIT will continue to work with Government colleagues and with key external stakeholders from across the sector to better understand the impacts of overcoming digital exclusion and ensure that policy interventions are evidence driven. DSIT has also committed to exploring options for funding research to improve the Government’s evidence base on digital exclusion.

Social Media: Regulation

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with (a) her US counterpart and (b) other international partners on regulation of social media platforms owned by companies based in countries where governments can compel access to user data.

Julia Lopez: Ministers and Senior Officials from across the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) meet regularly with international counterparts, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora, on a range of issues. This includes social media platforms, online safety, ownership and access to data, including related to companies based overseas. The United States is a key international partner in these areas and the Government works closely with US partners including under the US-UK Comprehensive Dialogue on Technology and Data. The Government does not comment on discussions relating to specific cases/companies but will continue to work with partners to monitor and take appropriate steps to mitigate threats to UK data from all sources, including using regulation where necessary.

Broadband

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether broadband access is classed as an essential utility.

Julia Lopez: There is no standard definition of what constitutes a utility, with gas, water, electricity, and telecoms all regulated differently. The UK telecoms market features strong competition both at wholesale and retail levels which sets it apart from gas, water and electricity, which are regulated in such a way as to address competition concerns. However, the Government recognises that access to the internet is increasingly essential for full participation in society. The Government has taken action to ensure as many people as possible are able to access the internet. Since 2021, we have worked closely with telecoms operators to ensure social tariffs are available across 99% of the UK. Available to nearly 5 million households on Universal Credit as well as other means tested benefits, social tariffs are available from 28 individual providers (including BT, Sky, Virgin Media and Vodafone) and start at £10 per month. Over 80% of the UK can now access gigabit-capable broadband from at least one provider, and the Government is investing £5 billion via Project Gigabit to bring fast, secure and resilient connections to those parts of the country unlikely to be reached by commercial roll-out. In March 2020, The Broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) came into effect, giving consumers the right to request a decent broadband connection of at least 10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload. The USO is applicable in situations where access to decent broadband will cost more than £54 per month, the property isn’t due to be connected by an existing government scheme within 12 months and the cost of connection does not exceed a reasonable threshold of £3,400.

Broadband: Lancashire

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help connect rural communities in Lancashire to broadband.

Julia Lopez: The Government is committed to improving broadband coverage in rural areas, with gigabit broadband coverage delivered through the £5 billion Project Gigabit. Alternative connectivity solutions are being investigated for very hard to reach premises. According to the independent website thinkbroadband.com, 98% of premises in Lancashire have access to a superfast broadband connection, while 88% of premises can access a gigabit-capable connection. To further extend gigabit-capable coverage, Lancashire is included in Project Gigabit’s cross regional framework tender, launched in July 2023. We expect to announce this contract in the summer. Less than 1% of premises are unable to access a decent broadband connection of 10Mbps download and 1Mbps upload and may be able to get an improved connection through the Broadband USO, which gives consumers the right to request a decent broadband connection if their current connection falls below these speeds.

Broadband: Social Tariffs

Cat Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to increase the take up of social tariff broadband packages.

Julia Lopez: The Government continues to work closely with Ofcom on the issue of affordability of telecoms services, including social tariffs. In December 2023, Ofcom’s Pricing Trends report showed that 380,000 UK households now take up a social tariff, an almost 160% increase from September 2022. Social tariffs are low-cost, commercial products, but it is important to recognise that they may not represent the best value for money in every circumstance and should be considered alongside other commercial offers and bundled services. The Government and Ofcom continue to press operators to do more to raise awareness of social tariffs so that eligible households make use of them. Ofcom’s report also showed that just 45% of eligible households were aware of low-cost broadband offers. In July 2023, Ofcom’s Chief Executive wrote to the sector to set out the regulator’s expectation that they should do more to promote awareness, such as by highlighting tariffs on bills and end-of-contract notifications.

Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products: Scotland

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to increase Scotland’s (a) manufacturing capacity for and (b) delivery of cell and gene therapies.

Andrew Griffith: The government is investing significantly to support manufacturing and delivery of cell and gene therapies.Since 2021, government has launched three UK-wide capital grant schemes – up to £118 million of funds – to incentivise manufacturing investments, including in advanced therapies. Last year, government announced a further £520 million to increase investment in Life Sciences manufacturing. The UK is a world-leader in the development and manufacture of cell and gene therapies thanks to government investment in innovation and skills, including through the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult which also coordinates the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre network.

Life Sciences: Technology

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the policy paper entitled UK Science and Technology Framework, published on 6 March 2023, whether references in that paper to engineering biology include (a) gene therapy, (b) vaccine development and (c) other life sciences technologies.

Andrew Griffith: DSIT’s definition of engineering biology is set out in the National Vision for Engineering Biology, published in December 2023. Engineering biology includes products or services whose development draws on the tools of synthetic biology. This would capture all gene therapies, and vaccine and life science technologies which are developed using these tools. Engineering biology also delivers applications in other sectors of the economy including agriculture and chemicals.

Home Office

Drugs: Smuggling

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will hold discussions with the Irish Government on tackling the supply of illegal drugs entering the UK via the sea.

Chris Philp: In December 2021, the Government launched its ten-year drugs strategy, From Harm to Hope, to cut crime and save lives. As part of this, £300 million has been allocated to fund activity to break drug supply chains from end-to-end, this includes targeting upstream flow and securing the UK border to restrict drugs entering the UK via sea, land, and air.The UK Government and its law enforcement partners are leveraging our extensive international networks to maximise cooperation with other governments to tackle drug trafficking upstream.Border Force works with law enforcement organisations, including the Police Service Northern Ireland, other UK Police services, An Garda Síochána in the Republic of Ireland and the National Crime Agency, to target those who might attempt to smuggle illicit drugs between the Republic of Ireland and the UK, including via the sea.Our continued work with partners, including the NCA and other law enforcement agencies, is effective in preventing drugs from reaching local communities where they fuel violence and exploitation, causing significant harm to our society.

Police Custody and Police Stations: Oldham

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of (a) police station and (b) custody cell closures in Oldham since 2010.

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) police station and (b) custody cell closures there have been in Oldham in each year since 2010.

Chris Philp: The Home Office does not publish impact assessments relating to police office closures.It is up to Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners to make decisions on local resourcing and estates, including police stations. They are best placed to make these decisions based on their local knowledge and experience.Police stations are just one of the ways people can access their local police services including reporting online and by phone 24/7.

Organised Crime: Oldham

Jim McMahon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) child criminal exploitation and (b) gang activity on police resources in Oldham.

Chris Philp: The Home Office does not hold specific information on the potential impact of child criminal exploitation (CCE) and gang activity on police resources in Oldham. However, tackling CCE is a priority for this Government which is why we are providing funding to support Greater Manchester Police to help tackle county lines, CCE and serious violence.Through our Drug Strategy, we are providing a targeted investment of up to £145m over three years to bolster our County Lines Programme. This includes funding a dedicated county lines taskforce in Greater Manchester Police, as well as funding Catch22 to provide a specialist support and rescue service for under 25’s and their families in Greater Manchester to help them safely reduce and exit their involvement from county lines including child criminal exploitation.We are also driving targeted action to respond to exploitation through the Home Office-funded Prevention Programme, delivered by The Children’s Society with a funding of £1.37 million for delivery between 2023-25. Through the programme, a dedicated Northwest Prevention Officer works to support a range of partners to improve the response to multiple forms of exploitation including CCE in the Northwest region.To tackle the drivers of serious violence, the Home Office has also invested over £20m to develop and run the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit (with funding of over £4.38m in 2023-2024).

Internet: Sales

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of the regulation of online (a) ordering and (b) delivery of (i) age-restricted products and (ii) bladed items to self-service lockers.

Chris Philp: Under the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 it is the legal responsibility of sellers to ensure that age-restricted bladed articles are not delivered or arranged to be delivered to a self-service locker.The law requires (set out what is expected of online sales of knives and age verification and the requirements on those who deliver) This legislation is enforced by the police and Trading Standards.We keep the law in this area under close review and the Government has recently taken action to prohibit the sale, manufacture, supply and possession of zombie style knives and machetes, subject to the relevant Statutory Instrument being approved by Parliament.

National Police Air Service

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the fleet is of the National Police Air Service.

Chris Philp: The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police-led service that provides police air support to 44 police forces across England and Wales, including the British Transport Police.NPAS owns a fleet of 20 helicopters (19 operational and 1 training aircraft), and four fixed winged aircraft.

Sanctions: Enforcement

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to (a) identify and (b) prosecute sanctions evasion.

Tom Tugendhat: HMG is committed to investing in its sanction’s policy and enforcement architecture. In recognition of the centrality of sanctions, the FCDO established a permanent Sanctions Directorate in 2022 with over 120 permanent staff delivering its response. In addition, we have strengthened financial sanctions enforcement capacity and capability. OFSI has significantly increased its staffing from 40 FTE in February 2022 to over 100.On 13 March 2023, the Prime Minister announced a new Economic Deterrence Initiative (EDI) which will tackle sanctions evasion across the UK’s trade, transport and financial sanctions. The initiative will be a cross-government effort, led by FCDO and involving a range of Departments and agencies including DBT, HMT and DFT, as well as HMRC and NCA.With funding of up to £50m over two years, the initiative will improve our sanctions implementation and enforcement. This will maximise the impact of our trade, transport and financial sanctions, including by cracking down on sanctions evasion.The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 brought powers to provide for the civil forfeiture of cyrptoassets and can be used as a tool to prevent cryptoassets being used as vector for sanctions evasion.Finally, a new kleptocracy cell in the NCA has been established to target sanctions evasion and corrupt Russian assets hidden in the UK – meaning oligarchs in London will have nowhere to hide.

General Elections: Slovakia

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Defending Democracy Taskforce has made an assessment of the prevalence of (a) misinformation and disinformation and (b) AI in the Slovakian general election.

Tom Tugendhat: The FCDO will continue to work with international partners, including those holding elections this year, to exchange best practice on shared threats to our democratic processes including information threats and AI.We continue to monitor international electoral events to inform our work to protect the UK from interference in our democratic process, including elections.

Foreign Influence Registration Scheme

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans that the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme will go live.

Tom Tugendhat: We intend that the scheme will become operational later this year. The work to deliver this, including establishing a Case Management Unit, the supporting IT, and developing relevant guidance, is happening at pace.We are working on ensuring regulations on the new powers covered in the National Security Act are fully consulted on with operational partners and key stakeholders and are laid in Parliament as Statutory Instruments in advance of go live of the scheme.The Government expects to publicise the intended ‘go live’ date several months in advance to ensure those affected by the scheme are given sufficient time to prepare.

Fraud: International Cooperation

Sir Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to collaborate with its counterparts in other countries to tackle fraud.

Tom Tugendhat: Last week the Government hosted the first ever Global Fraud Summit.This brought together Ministers and senior representatives from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore and the Republic of Korea as well as the United Nations, European Union, Financial Action Task Force and INTERPOL to emphasise the need for international collaboration to tackle fraud.We agreed an ambitious communiqué which sets out a new international framework to better understand and address the threat and keep our citizens safe.We will continue to build upon these commitments whilst also engaging bilaterally with key countries to build capability and strengthen their ability to tackle and disrupt fraud before it reaches the UK.

Unexplained Wealth Orders

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 12 September 2023 to Question 197789 on Unexplained Wealth Orders, how many new applications for unexplained wealth orders were made in the High Court from 13 September 2023 to 13 March 2024.

Tom Tugendhat: Since being introduced in April 2017, UWOs have been applied for by operational agencies in six investigations, with five granted and the NCA waiting for a Judges decision on the other. There were no applications made by the NCA for a UWO between 13 September 2023 to 13 March 2024.UWOs remain a powerful tool to investigate those who look to use, move or hide their proceeds of crime in the UK or overseas. There are a number of variables which impact an operational decision to seek a UWO including: the ease with which evidence can be obtained from overseas; whether it would be proportionate to go to the High Court; and suitability of alternative investigatory powers.Agencies have several other well-established powers under Part 8 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 which they may use to compel information regarding the ownership of asset during an investigation such as Production Orders and Disclosure Orders. Law enforcement agencies are operationally independent from Government and cannot be tasked to use UWOs.The Government committed to report on the number of UWOs applied for and obtained each year under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2022 and will lay this year’s report before September.The report covering 2022-23 can be found at: Unexplained wealth orders: 2022 to 2023 annual report - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Immigration Controls: Airports

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will review the ability of European Union citizens to use e-gates at UK airports.

Tom Pursglove: EU and EEA citizens are currently eligible to use eGates at UK airports. We keep border security under review and operate border controls in the best interest of the UK, balancing border security with passenger flow.In the New Plan for Immigration, the Government has set out our ambition to increase the use of automation and eGates by those currently eligible and investigate options to extend eGate eligibility to further cohorts.

Horticulture: Seasonal Workers

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2024 to Question 14388 on Horticulture: Seasonal Workers, whether the requirement for seasonal workers to receive a minimum of 32 hours pay for each week of their stay in the UK regardless of whether work is available was included in any (a) rules and (b) guidance published by his Department.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2024 to Question 14388 on Horticulture: Seasonal Workers, who is responsible for payments to seasonal workers in line with the requirement that they must receive a minimum of 32 hours pay for each week of their stay in the UK, regardless of whether work is available.

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2024 to Question 14388 on Horticulture: Seasonal Workers, whether his Department (a) monitors and (b) enforces payments to seasonal workers to ensure they receive a minimum of 32 hours pay for each week of their stay in the UK regardless of whether work is available.

Tom Pursglove: The Scheme Operators are responsible for monitoring pay, conditions, and worker’s general welfare whilst they are in the UK.The Home Office works closely with DEFRA to monitor the scheme to ensure Scheme Operators adhere to the stringent requirements set for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the seasonal workers. This includes ongoing monitoring of the route’s performance, regular communication with Scheme Operators and ongoing compliance monitoring which is underpinned by compliance visits to both Scheme Operators and growers which are carried out by UKVI. Action is taken if concerns are identified during sponsor visits, with sponsor licences being suspended while UKVI investigate further.

Visas: Graduates

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish the data to be provided to the Migration Advisory Committee as part of the review of the graduate route.

Tom Pursglove: The Home Office publishes a range of migration statistics, including statistics relating to the Graduate route, in its quarterly statistics releases.The Migration Advisory Committee will publish their findings of the Graduate route review in May.

Asylum

Sir John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were charged with a criminal offence since entering the UK in each year since 2015.

Michael Tomlinson: After further conversation with MOJ colleagues, please see amended response to your written question;The number of people charged with a criminal offence will be data held by the Police, the number of asylum seekers within that total will be a subset. It’s not information we hold.All asylum claimants are subject to mandatory security checks to confirm their identity and to link it to their biometric details for the purpose of immigration, security and criminality checks. These checks are critical to the delivery of a safe and secure immigration system.If the asylum claimant is aged 16 years or over, their fingerprints will be checked against those fingerprints held on the police biometric database, IDENT1. An asylum decision-maker will be able to confirm the presence of a criminal offence charge. However, this information is not held in a reportable format and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as it would require a manual trawl of case records to retrieve.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Heating: Carbon Emissions

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of shared ground loops in decarbonising heat.

Amanda Solloway: The Government already recognises the merits of shared ground loops in decarbonising heating. To support their installation, the Government has announced that it will increase the capacity limit for shared ground loops under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme from 45kW to 300kW. Additionally, we have supported the installation of shared ground loops under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will remove the Boiler Upgrade Scheme's exclusion of larger shared ground loop systems.

Amanda Solloway: Shared Ground Loops are an effective solution for reducing the costs associated with installing Ground Source Heat Pumps, and are currently eligible for support under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. To support their installation, the Government has announced it will increase the capacity limit under the scheme from 45kW to 300kW, increasing the number of properties able to transition to low carbon heat at the same time and reduce costs.

District Heating: Finance

Derek Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the Green Heat Network Fund for supporting shared ground loop installations.

Amanda Solloway: Shared ground loop installations which satisfy the eligibility criteria for the Green Heat Network Fund can apply to the scheme for support. To be eligible, applicants must demonstrate that their networks can deliver a minimum of 2GWh per year of heat. Typically, shared ground loops serve a smaller number of homes than other heat networks and will often fall below this requirement unless they are aggregated into larger, combined projects. However, small-scale shared ground loop installations can receive support from other schemes, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

National Grid: Scotland

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of the amount of additional power generated in (a) Scotland and (b) Scottish waters that will be transferred to England under the transitional centralised strategic network plan.

Graham Stuart: The Electricity System Operator (ESO) published their report ‘Beyond 2030: a national blueprint for a decarbonised electricity system’ this week. Ministers have made no such estimate since its publication. The report notes that Scotland has nearly 15 GW of operational renewable capacity and the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round awarded a total capacity of approximately 28GW. In 2022, peak winter demand in Scotland was around 5 GW. The Electricity System Operator (ESO) has assumed a significant increase in demand of 10 GW by 2035. However, there will remain a surplus of generation in Scotland which will need to be transmitted to centres of demand across Great Britain. More detail is included in the ESO’s report. https://www.nationalgrideso.com/document/304756/download

Heat Pumps: Housing

Steve Double: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what her planned timetable is to introduce exemptions for homes identified as unsuitable for heat pumps.

Amanda Solloway: The Government has set out that it will exempt from its policy to end the installation of new and replacement fossil fuel heating systems from 2035 those properties that are not suitable for heat pumps, and we will set out further details in due course on how the exemption will operate in practice.

Solar Power: Supply Chains

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she plans to take to ensure that companies bidding for support under the Contracts for Difference Scheme are not solely reliant on China’s solar photovoltaic supply chain.

Andrew Bowie: Renewable supply chain development is a key Government priority.  The Government asks that all large renewable projects seeking support through Contracts for Difference submit a Supply Chain Plan to the Government, setting out among other things their commitments to investment in the resilience of their supply chains, including diversification and tackling modern slavery.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Legal Costs

Pat McFadden: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much (a) her Department and (b) its predecessor Department have spent on legal (i) support and (ii) representation to Ministers in her Department in relation to their official conduct in each of the last three years. .

Graham Stuart: This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

National Grid: Scotland

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the proposed additional (a) cable and (b) grid connections will be between (i) Scotland and Scottish Waters and (ii) the rest of the UK as part of the transitional centralised strategic network plan.

Graham Stuart: The Electricity System Operator’s (ESO) report: ‘Beyond 2030: a national blueprint for a decarbonised electricity system’ includes proposals to install new circuits to reinforce the network between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain, helping to connect the ScotWind projects to the Great Britain electricity grid and transmit the electricity on to consumers. The total capacity of the additional links between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain is 6.8GW. More detail is included in the ESO’s report.

National Grid: Scotland

Kenny MacAskill: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the revenue that would accrue to the Scottish Government as a consequence of the additional energy transmission from Scotland that will be put on the national grid under the transitional centralised strategic network plan.

Graham Stuart: The transitional centralised strategic network plan (tCSNP) will connect offshore wind projects from the ScotWind seabed leasing round. Once operational, projects will pay rent to the Crown Estate Scotland which pays its profits to Scottish Government. The amount of revenue from rent will depend upon the amount of electricity generated. Independent analysis commissioned by the Electricity System Operator suggests that, by 2035, recommendations in the CSNP report could add up to £5.22 billion to the Scottish economy and support an average of 6,000 jobs each year.

Marine Protected Areas

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill on (a) Marine Protected Areas and (b) the Environment Act target for 70% of the designated features in the Marine Protected Area network to be in favourable condition by 2042.

Graham Stuart: The Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill will not affect the UK's ability to reach targets for ensuring our Marine Protected Areas are in a good or recovering state. Nor will it change the robust framework we have in place for licensing oil and gas that ensures this. Licenses have only ever been awarded once the environmental regulator was satisfied that the activities will not negatively impact protected areas, and their impact is carefully managed by our expert regulators. There is therefore no reason for the Bill to affect our Environment Act target for maintaining marine protected areas.

Renewable Fuels: Excise Duties

Steve Double: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) HM Treasury and (b) the Department for Transport on equalising fuel duty rates for renewable liquid fuels and kerosene for home heating.

Amanda Solloway: As with all taxes, the Government keeps fuel duty on HVO under review, and any changes are announced by the Chancellor at fiscal events.

Renewable Fuels

Steve Double: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had discussions with the renewable liquid fuels industry on potential regulations under section 159 of the Energy Act 2023.

Amanda Solloway: The Department has had several discussions with the heating oil industry, including on the powers we have taken in the Energy Act for a Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation. The Department has begun developing a consultation on the role of renewable liquid fuels in heat and would expect to hold further discussions with the heating oil industry as part of that consultation.

Scotland Office

Scottish Government

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had recent discussions with the Scottish Government on the (a) reasons for which they have appointed and (b) cost of appointing an international development Minister.

Mr Alister Jack: I have had no discussions with the Scottish Government in regards to the appointment of an international development Minister. Under the devolution settlement, Ministerial appointments, including pay, are a matter for the Scottish Government.